The Eyes Have It
by Shana the Short
Summary: [FANOWRIMO CHALLENGE] Most people seem to think that developing a doujutsu is a wondrous, unspeakably lucky occurrence. Considering that she now has to deal with an ability she has no idea how to use, family drama, fashion crises, and the world's most rude and vulgar doctor, on top of getting to know her new genin team just after graduation...needless to say, Sakura begs to differ.
1. Chapter 1: Evidence

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 1: **_Evidence_

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Looking back, later on, Sakura would be embarrassed to admit that it actually took a little while for her to notice that anything was amiss. In her defense, it was a very gradual process, in the beginning. It was a process that had begun months, possibly even years, before it manifested on a visible level. As it was, when her attention was finally drawn, there was a scant month and a half left until her Genin Exams.

It went a little something like this.

Sakura woke up with the sun, glaring blearily at her balcony door from beneath her thick comforter. After about fifteen minutes of trying and failing to continue snoozing, she reluctantly crawled out of her warm little nest and slowly ambled to the bathroom for her daily ablutions. After a nice, hot shower, she toweled off and wiped some of the steam off of the mirror.

She blinked.

After a moment of quiet stillness, she robotically dressed herself and went down to eat breakfast. Her mother noted the girl's preoccupied expression, but simply chalked it up to the various miniature crises that came with the territory of being a girl on the cusp of being a teenager. Her father had gotten in late the night before from a mission, and was too busy sleeping it off to form any conclusions about his child's state of mind.

When she finished eating, Sakura went back upstairs, brushed her teeth, and stared deep into the mirror. She rinsed her mouth out, not breaking her one-girl staring contest, then calmly placed a hand firmly over her own mouth and let the scream she had been repressing bubble out.

Each of her pupils had a small, all but negligible milky white dot in its center.

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That afternoon, Sakura didn't even try to hang back and talk to her teachers about the material, or try to garner Sasuke's attention. No, she had far more important matters to attend to, and very little time in which to attend to them if she wanted to keep her parents from asking questions she didn't have answers for. She made her way towards the hospital at a pace that was just barely capable of being called casual.

"I need an examination," she told the nurse manning the reception desk.

"Do you have an appointment?" The nurse asked with a pretty, pleasant smile.

Sakura shook her head. "Um, no. No, I…" she faltered. "It's sort of a…sudden development, I guess you could say." She gestured discretely to her eyes. The nurse leaned forward after a moment, her expression sharpening into something more professional. For a terrible moment, Sakura was struck with the mortifying thought that she might have imagined the entire thing and was about to be offered an entirely different 'examination' than the one she had originally come for.

Her irrational fears were assuaged once the nurse's expression lightened with understanding and she sat back. "I see!" The lithe brunette grabbed a spare sheaf of paper and scribbled room number on it, before attaching it to a clipboard full of paperwork. "You should head straight up there, sweetheart. The doctor will help you fill out what you need to after he gets a closer look at you."

Sakura nodded, mumbling her thanks and hugging the clipboard to her chest. She resumed her just-shy-of-panicked pace through the hallways and went up the stairs at a run until she reached her destination. She was brought up short by the name emblazoned on the door.

"Onimeno…?" She frowned, feeling a trickle of apprehension. "What kind of name is that for a doctor?"

"My kind of name," growled a voice behind her.

Sakura whirled around, and it was only years of etiquette from her mother and observation lessons at the Academy that kept her from outright staring at the man scowling grumpily down at her. He was incredibly tall and muscular, easily dwarfing her slight frame and making the normally spacious hallway seem stiflingly small. His skin was deeply tanned and peppered with the odd scar, evidence of some amount of field experience, if not an outright career as a shinobi. His hair was a dark crimson, messy, and almost unmanageably long, spilling carelessly over his rumpled white coat and nearly obscuring his nametag completely.

But most striking were his eyes: they were bright scarlet and cat-slit, and Sakura kind of wanted to cower until they went away. His name suited him perfectly.

But Sakura was a good girl, and less than two months away from acing her Exams, so she smiled prettily and bowed. "Good afternoon, Onimeno-sensei. My name is Haruno Sakura. The nurse at the front desk referred me here."

"Did she now," he drawled, tilting his head to study her. He caught the way she kept her eyes riveted to the floor, the way she tilted her head so her long forelocks drifted over her face, the deathgrip she had on the clipboard in her arms. Her smirked, revealing an unnaturally sharp set of fangs, and _prowled—_that was really the only word for it—towards his workspace, unlocking the door and kicking it open. "Well then, let's get you examined, Patient Number 719."

Sakura blinked, before scowling slightly. "My name is Ha—"

"Your name," Onimeno told her slowly, as if speaking to…well, to a _child_. "Is not something I really give two shits about. Odds are, I might never see you again after today. It's easier for all parties involved if I just call you Patient Number 719, so deal with it."

Sakura felt her protests die when that fiery glare was turned upon her, and meekly slunk into the room. Unlike the examination rooms she was used to, this room was outfitted with a large black chair instead of a paper-coated table. Sakura hesitantly settled on the imposing work of black leather as Onimeno threw himself down onto a rolling stool and picked up a clipboard of his own.

He kicked at the wall, sending himself sailing over her way, and stopped far too close for comfort. Sakura's apprehension only mounted when her leaned forward, catching her chin between two heavily calloused fingers and forcing her to meet his burning, hellish gaze. "Twitchy little thing, aren't you?" he rumbled, though there was an amused, approving edge to it. "Good. Might save your life someday."

Sakura blinked, then quickly resolved to try her best not to when his scowl deepened and an irritated snarl echoed out of his throat. She didn't have much of a choice, and was forced to stare directly into his eyes, which actually made not blinking _easier_. It was a paralyzing experience. Her muscles locked up, to the point where her lungs contented themselves with shallow, soft breaths.

After what felt like an eternity, he released his grip on her chin and turned away, quickly scrawling something on his clipboard as she blinked rapidly and tried not to gasp for air. "Well," he mused, not looking at her. "It looks like I was wrong. You and I will be seeing quite a bit of each other in the future, 719."

"And…why is that?" Sakura asked, inwardly wondering why he couldn't use her proper name if that was the case.

He looked up, idly tapping his pen against his clipboard. "Tell me, 719, what do you know about doujutsu?"

"They exist," Sakura told him after a brief pause, her mind rocking and reeling with the implications. "And that the Sharingan and Byakugan fall under that classification."

"Of course." Onimeno rolled his eyes and muttered something vulgar under his breath. "Well, moving away from the extremely condensed and unhelpful definition you're aware of, doujutsu actually covers a much broader spectrum. There are various branches, covering minor doujutsu, catalyzed doujutsu, illusive doujutsu, immutable doujutsu, induced doujutsu—which is a misnomer, those are temporary effects generally caused when idiots dick around with genjutsu techniques _way_ out of their leagues—and various others."

"The Sharingan would be catalyzed, right?" Sakura asked, thinking of her fathers stories about the pinwheel-eyed police force that had kept order inside the village during her childhood. "Since it can be activated and deactivated. And the Byakugan would count as…" She frowned, her brow furrowing in thought.

"The Byakugan is technically immutable, phenotypically at least," Onimeno explained, serious and straightforward for possibly the first time in their brief acquaintance. "But mechanically, it's catalyzed. I have a traditionally immutable doujutsu," here he tapped his cheek, just below his eye. "Which means that it's always active, all the time. It lets me see chakra currents, which is how I landed this cushy job."

"So…what do I have?" Sakura asked, both anticipating and dreading the answer.

"From what I can tell from the developing chakra pathways that are beginning to settle, you have an emerging immutable doujutsu. It hasn't reached its stable form yet, so there's no way to tell exactly what it does. We'll need to schedule some regular appointments," he reached over and tugged her clipboard away from her chest, flipping through it and circling various blanks while scribbling out others. "And you'll need to fill out the marked areas and file all this at the Hokage's Tower, so arrangements can be made to accommodate your new circumstances." He handed the paperwork back to her, as well as his pen.

"I see," Sakura said hollowly, beginning to fill out the necessary information without really reading it. "And…this will be public knowledge?" Her stomach clenched at the thought of telling her parents or her classmates. It wasn't a bad thing, by any means, but…having eyes that would warp and mutate with time wasn't something that many people would be able to swallow gracefully. Perhaps it was silly of her to feel that way, but the jeers of 'Bill-Board Brow' still haunted her.

"Hell no," Onimeno told her flatly. There was something almost like compassion softening his demonic gaze. "It's a shitty idea for a ninja to wave around a weapon that they have no clue how to use. Until those eyes of yours are fully developed with a tested, confirmed and documented use, the only people who absolutely have to know about this are you, me, Hokage-sama and your jounin instructor. Everyone else, and I do mean _everyone_ else, can be informed at your discretion and your discretion alone."

"That will be a little difficult, won't it?" Sakura asked, even as relief welled up. "Since it's going to be an immutable doujutsu, I mean."

Onimeno scoffed and wheeled closer, bringing his hands together in a seal. "Spare me, 719. You think doujutsu users haven't figured out a way around that over the centuries we've been around? There's a low-chakra intensive bastard cousin of the henge that is used most of the time. Now watch closely, because I'm only doing this once and I don't want you badgering me with any stupid questions."

Sakura watched and memorized, focusing on her strength—learning—and carefully bottling up the panic and exhilaration and fear roiling through her to deal with later.

Onimeno caught that too, but said nothing. The knowing look in his frightening eyes had yet to leave.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,861_

_**Total Word Count: **__1,861_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 1,667_

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_Well, here it is! The beginning of my FaNoWriMo project: a slightly more realistic take on the 'Sakura unlocks a brand new blood-limit!' storyline. As the summary might suggest, this will not be a tale of sudden superpowers and curbstomping all enemies in her path. This is going to be an irritating, sometimes emotionally draining experience for our girl._

_Hopefully, you guys will enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed planning it out!_

_As always, reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome. Thank you all for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2: Deviation

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 2: **_Deviation_

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The next two weeks trickled by at a snail's pace. Or at least, that's what it felt like to Sakura, but her perception might have been a smidgeon skewed, due to the heavy semi-secret weighing down on her. She tried to justify it to herself, once or twice; tried telling herself that it was never the right time, or that she would definitely do it after her next appointment. Her first three appointments came and went before she finally gave up and admitted that she didn't, couldn't explain things to her parents.

Onimeno was at once both more and less helpful than she hoped when it came to this matter.

"Look," he finally sighed on their fourth appointment, raking a hand through his hair. "Honestly 719, I don't know what to tell you. I was born with these things, and got more shit for 'em than I really care to describe. Your circumstances are totally different from mine, I can tell you that much. I never had to have some big admission about what I was. You know your parents, kid, not me; if and when you tell them is your call." And then, because he apparently could not leave things on an even slightly heartwarming note, he added: "And if you're just stuck for the words, go swipe one of those sexual orientation pamphlets from downstairs and adlib."

She shot him a dirty look and, once they were finished, marched out of the hospital while resolutely not even glancing at the large rack of self-help pamphlets in the reception area.

Sakura waffled more and more over the issue as the weeks continued to slink past, torn between disgust at her lack of faith in her parents and a crippling sense of doubtful pessimism. This indecision ultimately led, as such matters so often do, to the choice being wrested out of her hands.

About a week before her Exams, Sakura's father and several other chuunin were assigned a relatively long-term mission, guarding the son of the Fire Daimyo's third cousin and his new bride as they toured the country and visited various vacation estates as a sort of honeymoon. Kizashi was understandably distraught at the poor timing, but Sakura urged him to go. It was a _very_ well-paying B-Rank, after all, and had the added bonus of giving her a little more time to get her head together.

Roughly around the same time, Sakura's mother was summoned by her grandfather, the head of the Haruno clan. While Mebuki technically _could_ have ignored it, or at least delayed her departure for a week, it was never a very wise idea to keep Haruno Hideki waiting. There was a note at the end of the missive, relaying a supposedly sincere apology for the timing and wishes of good luck for Sakura in a different handwriting from the rest.

Mebuki insisted that it was Lord Haruno's personal message, but Sakura privately held the opinion that his scribe had simply switched hands and added it for show, or perhaps for her mother's sake. She hadn't seen Hideki in years, and what few memories she had of the imposing, stately nobleman generally centered around a cold, stony expression, flinty green eyes, and a rigid posture. She had spent most of her visits to the Main House hiding behind her sleeves when her long bangs were pinned up as she knelt next to him on the veranda, too paralyzed by fear and the results of an extended stay in the seiza position to move away.

Sakura couldn't ever remember him speaking to her directly. Despite her mother's frequent assurances that her grandfather loved her very much, in his own special, taciturn way, in her heart of hearts she wondered if he viewed her as anything more than proof that his firstborn had abandoned courtly life in order to be the housewife of a pink-haired shinobi.

Far more welcome than the summons, however, was the man who brought it to them. Haruno Yutaka was her mother's second half-brother, younger than her by three years. He was also one of Sakura's most favorite relatives by far. Her mother's twin, Hajime, was more or less a younger, blonder copy of Hideki, save for the fact that when he visited he always made the effort to toss out the same stilted compliment to Sakura about her tea preparation skills. Yutaka's older, full-blooded brother, Hiraku, was a kind—if somewhat reclusive and whimsical—man, an artist and poet of some acclaim who occasionally sent Sakura strange, fierce gifts that he probably thought befitted his mental image of a young ninja-to-be, and their younger sisters, Tsubaki and Akemi, could probably smile and chat amiably with the scum of the earth without losing their poise.

But Yutaka was always there for her, with a warm smile and gentle, helpful advice just when she needed it the most. So when he made the offer to stay with Sakura until Mebuki could return, both Haruno ladies jumped on it.

She wouldn't be telling him any time soon, but Sakura felt confident that she would be able to muster up the courage to tell Yuta-oji about her new development a little faster than her parents. It would be good practice, if nothing else.

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Not too far away, roughly around the same time, a small meeting was taking place.

"Look, you asked for my professional opinion," Onimeno scowled darkly. "And my _professional opinion_ is that 242 is a far better choice for this than 192-B."

One of the two jounin standing at attention in the middle of the room looked vaguely affronted beneath his mask. "Maa, I'm feeling a little hurt, Onimeno-sensei. I don't mean to slight Yuuhi-kun, but I'm a fairly competent shinobi, you know?"

Onimeno shot him a wicked, withering glare. "You were forty-three minutes late to this meeting. If it weren't for the fact that you're religiously early to our appointments, I'd call you a negligent slob and wouldn't consider you a choice _at all._" He blew out an annoyed sigh. "As it is, I'm being practical. Having a transplant is literally nothing like developing a whole new doujutsu. Also, you're _shit_ with brats and 719 is the kind of kid that needs a careful and delicate touch."

There was a moment of deep, appalled silence at the doctor's blatant hypocrisy.

Before Kakashi could pipe up defensively, the savage-looking redhead barreled onwards. "And you're already so invested in her projected teammates that it's ridiculous to think you'd actually spend all the time she'll need with her. She'd do better under 242."

Team arrangements, despite the policies that the instructors cited, were not a clean top-girl-top-boy-deadlast type of equation. That pattern was more of a coincidence than anything. In truth, composing teams and matching jounin instructors was a long, arduous process that stretched out over the entirety of the Academy's final year, and generally only ever produced three or four worthwhile teams that would continue on without another year of supplementary training.

Each would-be instructor had spent long hours carefully studying their future pupil-candidates, noting down their strengths, weaknesses, and general interactions with the other students they would be most likely be teamed with. Haruno Sakura's new condition, while a welcome addition to the village, ended up skewing the balance of the current, all but settled team arrangements.

As nothing could be done to break up the second coming of the Ino-Shika-Cho team (on pain of crossing a Torture and Interrogations legend, the current Jounin Commander, and the head of a clan with ties to nearly every eatery in the village and a majority of the nearby agriculture tycoons), a compromise of some sort had to be reached between Kurenai and Kakashi.

The Third Hokage sighed, tamping down a fresh pinch of tobacco into his pipe. "He has a point, Kakashi-kun," he pointed out, lighting up with a pulse of finely directed chakra. He puffed contentedly for a few moments. "It might be different if Sasuke-kun still had his clan to fall back on, but with things as they are, once he unlocks his Sharingan you will be the only person left to guide him. It wouldn't be fair to either you or Sakura-chan to force you to juggle your attention like that."

_This isn't fair for Hyuuga-san, either,_ Kurenai wanted to say. But she couldn't, not with Onimeno's damned, amused, _knowing_ gaze resting on her. Even if she wasn't the first one in her family to have ringed, red eyes, even if she had been much younger when they started to shift from brown to scarlet…

She knew what it was like, to go to bed and wonder if the face you would see in the next morning would be the same as the face you saw the previous day.

It wasn't fair to say that Hyuuga had things easier just because she had a clan. Arguably, that fact made things exponentially more difficult for her. Kurenai had noticed her blatant self-esteem problems, the way she shied away from social contact and the reluctance that flashed in her eyes whenever it came time to leave for her home after classes ended.

…she had noticed similar esteem issues in Haruno, as well. The pink-haired girl, however, had either thickened her skin out of necessity, or learned how to fake it well enough to fool those around her and even herself, to an extent. It wasn't a healthy way to live, by any means, but it was a very useful skill for a kunoichi to have in her arsenal.

Silently apologizing to the young heiress who she would no longer be able to take under her wing, Kurenai spoke up for the first time since entering the room. "I would not have an issue with a…_trade_, Hokage-sama," she said, with only a faint trace at the flippant way she was talking about a decision that would define the futures of two young girls. "Hatake-senpai originally put in a request for either Haruno-san or Hyuuga-san, with no particular preference for one over the other. From what I can tell, Haruno-san does not have any more of a relationship—positive or negative—with the other two members slotted for my team than Hyuuga-san does."

Kakashi frowned beside her, which might mean that perhaps she was wrong and he had seen something in Haruno that he had wanted for Uzumaki and Uchiha, and had requested the Hyuuga as a smokescreen, assuming that he would never be allowed to load up his team so obviously.

She felt some of her regret at the reassignment trickle away, and discretely eyed the wickedly grinning doctor slouching against the wall. Before she could ponder about his angle in all of this too deeply, she heard a stamp thud down and turned back in time to see the Hokage straighten out the revised team assignments and file them away.

It was done.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,818_

_**Total Word Count: **__3,679_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 3,334_

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_Aaaaand that's Day 2, with the groundwork for the promised family drama. I'm really flattered by how interested you all seem to be, and super glad I'm not the only one interested in this premise._

_Thanks to Omgomg, MoonShadow396, Arkeus, Anonymous, Zerojackson, Higanbana.4, and minniemousemom for reviewing!_

_See you all tomorrow!_


	3. Chapter 3: Remorse

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 3: **_Remorse_

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"Team Seven will be Hyuuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto."

Sakura merely rested her chin in her hands glumly at the announcement, instead of joining in with the chorus of disappointed and anguished wailing. Hinata was an obvious, fair choice; she was not only a well-rounded kunoichi, but also the only girl in class who didn't carry a torch for the last Uchiha.

Sure, she was blushing to beat the band _now_, but Sakura would be willing to bet that it had more to do with all of the envious stares the poor girl was receiving than being on a team with Sasuke-kun. And even if she was wrong, she knew that Hinata would never act on those sorts of feelings.

She _couldn't_, and not just because she was the heiress of her clan. The fact of the matter was that very bad things could happen when you tried mixing doujutsu.

Onimeno had recently started giving her little lessons on the perks and drawbacks that went along with being a doujutsu user, and one of the first sessions had involved records of previous attempts to cross-breed. While there had been some stable results, most of the documented cases had been unpleasant at best and outright horrifying at worst. It was always a very pricy gamble, seeing which eyes would mesh with one another, or create something new, or destroy each other on a genetic level.

Sakura wished she could say that her love for Sasuke-kun could overcome any hardship or hurtle, but her dreams of someday becoming Uchiha Sakura had cracked and shattered as she leafed through photographs of blind, sickly children who slowly and surely had their meager chakra reserves sucked dry by useless, parasitic eyes.

So in a depressing sort of way, Sakura was almost glad that she wasn't in Hinata's place. Being on a team with the boy that she now knew she could never have and _Naruto_, too? It would be a cruel, never-ending nightmare. Perhaps, with luck and distance, she would be able to gradually fall out of love with Sasuke without too much heartache.

By the time Sakura had just about finished with her moping, the furor had died down enough for Iruka-sensei to continue on. "Right. Team Eight will be Aburame Shino, Haruno Sakura, and Inuzuka Kiba."

Sakura twisted around in her seat to scan the classroom for her new teammates while Team Ten was announced. She found them at the back, offered a tentative wave and a smile, and received an inscrutable nod of acknowledgement and a toothy grin for her trouble.

As teammates went, Shino and Kiba weren't too bad at all. If anything, Shino's heavy clothing and heavier silences creeped her out more than any bug ever had, and Akamaru was positively adorable. She had never spent much time with either boy, and as far as she knew they weren't exactly best buddies either. They essentially had a blank slate to build off of, which was arguably almost as much of an advantage as literally being born and raised to be a team the way Ino, Choji and Shikamaru had been.

Once Iruka-sensei had finished going down the roster and bid them all good luck with their fledgling careers, Sakura stood and started making her way to the back of the classroom, where her teammates had already gathered. Hinata crept down the same aisle, heading towards where Naruto and Sasuke-kun had already begun to bicker. Just as their paths converged in that slowly emptying classroom, a strange impulse took hold of Sakura and she reached out to grab the other girl's hand.

Hinata looked up at her with wide, bewildered eyes, but Sakura's body had seen fit to leave her brain and mouth out of this particular plan. So she simply smiled reassuringly and gently squeezed Hinata's fingers, before letting go and resuming her leisurely pace.

"Didn't know you two were close," Kiba mused as the new Team Eight strolled off to find an empty classroom.

Sakura shrugged. "We aren't. I just…suddenly had the feeling that she wasn't going to have an easy time of it with those two."

"You have a logical basis for your concerns. How so?" Shino pushed his sunclasses up the bridge of his nose. "Simple: their frequent clashes and opposing personality types foreshadow a very difficult time indeed."

His new teammates turned to stare at him, but it was Kiba who spoke up first. "…dude…do you _always_ talk like you're holding a conversation with yourself?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and prodded him hard in the side, eliciting a surprised yelp. "That's rude, Kiba. Apologize." She agreed with his assessment, but she at least had the manners not to say so to Shino's _face_.

"Sorry, man." Kiba grumbled, eying Sakura warily. Akamaru yipped in what could only be called amusement from his perch in Kiba's hood.

Shino inclined his head, tacitly accepting the sentiment, and they settled down to have a quiet lunch together. They had just barely finished packing their empty lunchboxes away when the classroom door slid open, revealing a gorgeous, crimson-eyed woman.

She took a long look at them, then smiled warmly and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. "Team Eight?" It was more of a courtesy than a real question. When Iruka-sensei had handed out the assignments, he had only stated that their jounin instructors would pick them up sometime within the next few hours. Elite ninja were more than capable of tracking down their own specific handful of wet-behind-the-ears genin. "My name is Yuuhi Kurenai. I will be your teacher from today onwards."

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"She's absolutely _amazing_, Yuta-oji," Sakura gushed to Yutaka a few hours later at the fine restaurant he had taken her to as a celebration. "She's…well, honestly, it's like she leapt straight out of one the old stories Hiraku-ojisama's so taken with. She's beautiful and graceful and _brilliant_. I really hit the jackpot!"

Yutaka chuckled from behind his teacup, shaking his head gently. "Well, that's good to hear. You'll definitely have plenty of stories to share the next time you're summoned back to the Estate." He went to take a bite of the high-quality tempura, before stopping short, as if just recalling something. "Oh. I nearly forgot; the boys wanted me to relay their congratulations when the time came…as well as their envy."

Yutaka had two sons, a set of twins a year older than Sakura. While she wasn't exactly _friends _with Toshio and Tatsuo, there was a long-standing sense of restrained fondness born from being pushed into being playmates by their parents. Hajime only had one son, Tsutomu, who was several years their senior and more often than not spent his days being groomed as the next Lord Haruno. He had been shaped from the same mold as his father and Hideki, leaving Sakura with that same ambiguous impression of discomfited dislike. Tsubaki and Akemi's collective assortment of children, conversely, were all years younger than them and generally tended to stay within arm's reach of their mothers' skirts.

So, while she couldn't exactly count them among her dearest companions, Toshio and Tatsuo were definitely staunch allies, especially when it came to Sakura's decision to follow the path of a ninja.

"That's sweet of them," Sakura smiled. "I'll write them a thank-you note when we get back."

"Such a good girl," Yutaka reached over to pat her head fondly.

_I have something I would like to talk to you about,_ Sakura experimentally tried to say, but all that ended up coming out was a slightly dry "I try, Yuta-oji."

She hid her grimace with a long, measured sip of tea. Every time she attempted to broach the subject she both longed and dreaded to reveal, the words stuck in her throat and twisted into something else entirely. She knew it was silly, and even cowardly—after all, this was her _Yuta-oji_, if anybody would be loving and supportive at a time like this, it would be him—but she just couldn't manage to conquer her crippling indecision over whether to tell him or not.

"So, are your teammates cute?" Yutaka asked casually.

Sakura promptly choked on her tea. _"What."_

"What?" He shrugged elegantly. "I can't be interested in my favorite niece's nclosest prospects for the future?"

"Prospects for the fu—_Yuta-oji!_ I am not going to marry _Kiba_ or _Shino!"_ Sakura cried. "Never in a million, billion years! I go for the refined type."

He laughed, long and light, and when he stopped there was a definitely pleased angle to his expression. "Well, it's good to know what you like," he said diplomatically. "But really, I was just teasing you."

"Mean!" Sakura pouted, and they continued with dinner, bantering playfully all the while.

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The next morning, Sakura rose the way she always did: slowly and with great reluctance, dragging her feet every step of the way. Without her parents close by, and with her uncle still sleeping soundly in the guest room, she didn't need to be nearly as sneaky or quiet when it came to making the trek from her bedroom to the bathroom.

The minor illusion technique that Onimeno had taught her dispelled when she went to sleep or lost consciousness, and the dots in her eyes had been growing a little bit lately. Onimeno had told her that it was a sign that she was progressing towards her doujutsu's stable form, but it definitely made her 'condition' harder to hide.

As she did every morning, Sakura took a deep breath, braced herself for whatever would come next, and then looked into the mirror.

It wasn't as much preparation as she needed.

Sakura let out a long breath, impressed despite herself, and leaned forward for a better look in the mirror. Over the course of the night, the white dots had ballooned out until each pupil was entirely white. It was an eerie look, like something out of a manga, and ironically reminiscent of her clan symbol.

"Well," she comforted her reflection. "At least the worst has come and gone."

Naturally, she was entirely wrong about that.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,684_

_**Total Word Count: **__5,363_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 5,000_

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_And here we have Day 3 of my challenge! An introduction to Sakura's new team, **more** background for the future family drama to work off of, and the growth of her doujutsu. Tune in tomorrow for more Onimeno-sensei!_

_Thanks to Arkeus, minniemousemom, MoonShadow396 (you were right, by the way!), Guest, and Anonymous for your reviews!_

_See you all next time!_


	4. Chapter 4: Heavy

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 4: **_Heavy_

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"It's not fully formed," Onimeno informed her, effectively raining on her happy, relieved parade. Kurenai offered a sympathetic frown from her spot in the corner as Sakura slumped listlessly back against the chair.

"_What."_ It was a flat syllable, all but dripping with resentment. "But it already filled the whole pupil! There's no black at all! What more could possibly develop?"

"Oh, plenty," Onimeno mused, writing on his clipboard. "Your iris pigmentation could change as well, some secondary pupils might develop, some secondary _irises_ could develop, your sclera might change color…damn near anything."

Sakura sat up, and stared at him accusingly. "You're making fun of me now, aren't you?"

"I'm not pulling your damned leg, 719," Onimeno said, actually looking a bit insulted. "Look, I can assume that whatever you think you know about chakra doesn't even scratch the surface. It's a deep, elemental power that we call on, brat, and it can warp us in ways that would bleach that fluffy, fruity nest you call hair as white and brittle as bone."

Sakura tactfully sidestepped the thought that bones were fragile to the man who examined her eyes on a regular basis, and tried not to let her sudden burst of fear bleed through too much. "Like what?"

Onimeno ran a hand through his hair, muttering darkly beneath his breath, then straightened up. "Shit. Okay, that wasn't tactful. Look, it's not like your eyes are going to randomly explode or something." He paused. "…as long as you don't do something retarded like try to channel chakra into them without supervision. Chakra is a very pervasive thing; there are some clans who, though they don't technically count as doujutsu users, definitely have certain…optical quirks caused by the way they use chakra."

"Like your old classmates, Yamanaka-san and Nara-san." Kurenai supplied helpfully.

"Yes!" Onimeno latched on to the example and ran with it. "Right. The body-snatcher match-up. You ever notice that those prissy little blonds don't have pupils?"

"Kind of hard not to notice that," Sakura said wryly, though she had long since gotten used to it.

"Well, you're wrong," Onimeno shut her down. "Because they, like every other non-blind creature on this planet, _do_ have pupil. The trick of it is that the pupil is always lit up with chakra. The iris was stained a suitably matching color at some point during initial development in the womb."

Sakura wanted to argue, wanted to tell him it was impossible. But, mindful of her teacher watching quietly, she stopped, and she put her rather impressive intelligence to the task of thought about it. Logically speaking, Onimeno was right. To see, everybody needed a pupil. It was essentially a hole for the light to go into, so images could be caught and registered by the other mechanisms deep within the eye. If the entire Yamanaka clan had chakra burning in their pupils, then that meant—

"Her jutsu," Sakura breathed, blinking. "That's how it works, doesn't it? Well…I mean, there are obviously some really important, secret key aspects that I don't and will never know about, but the eyes have one of the closest connections to the brain in the body, and can _aim_. So…somehow, consciousness gets translated into chakra, and then they use that weird circular seal as a means to line up with the _target's_ eyes, and then—"

"Good girl," Onimeno nodded his head, one of his fangs poking out from a smirk that was about four teeth shy of being a proud grin. "Yeah, way back in the day, their predecessors probably fried themselves by the dozen getting it right, and even then they couldn't fully escape the effects. But that's why it isn't really a doujutsu; they have to channel chakra into handseals, not just their eyes, to do anything with them."

"…what about Shikamaru?" Sakura asked, wracking her brain for what eyes could possibly have to do with catching people with his shadow.

"Even less like a doujutsu," Onimeno waved her off lazily, sticking his pen behind his ear. "Small, black pupils. Makes it impossible for people to see how much light is going into their eyes. Comes with being so goddamn dependent on shadows. Call it a natural adaptation, if you want to be _scientific_ about it." He spat out the word with a certain measure of scorn that had Sakura's eyebrows raising.

"A doctor who doesn't like science?"

Onimeno huffed out a derisive laugh. "719, I can see the life force of everything in my line of sight. By twitching my fingers into different patterns, I can slice people to death with the fucking _wind._ Science only explains so much."

"Oh." Sakura was quiet for a moment, before shyly peeking over at her teacher. Kurenai had been there before she had arrived, and had kept relatively quiet. Onimeno had told her that the jounin put in charge of her would need to be kept abreast of every little change in her situation, but a certain question still lingered. "Um, Kurenai-sensei?" Sakura smoothed down her skirt nervously. "I've been wondering about this, and I don't know if it's too personal or violates some sort of secret doujutsu user etiquette, but…"

"What do my eyes do?" Kurenai supplied with a knowing smile.

"Yes," said Sakura, grateful that the woman didn't seem offended.

"Damn near nothing," Onimeno answered for her, kicking Sakura's seat in order to roll away on his own.

"…huh?"

"I'm able to see about one and a half times better than the average person when I activate it," Kurenai explained, sending the red haired man a withering glance. "A bit like a weak telescope, or a magnifying glass depending on the situation. It can come in handy, though, during a mission that requires discreet observation."

"But…" Sakura groped around for words, and found them after a moment of gaping like a fool. "But that doesn't—I mean, why are they—"

"Why are they red?" Kurenai smiled again, this time a bit chagrinned. "Well, to put it simply—"

"Camouflage," Onimeno cut in, now spinning around idly on his stool. "Nature claims its own, no matter how civilized humans want to think they are. Think of a moth, which has spots that look like eyes to scare of predators, or insects that aren't poisonous, but have similar coloring modeled after those that are. Her doujutsu ability can be traced back to a primal fight-or-flight mechanism. She can sneak up on her prey more effectively, and if a predator somehow gets close…well." He grinned malevolently, and Sakura couldn't help but feel small and helpless in the face of it. "Red eyes are scary no matter what species you're born from."

"Thank you," Kurenai said, a touch of iciness in her tone. She seemed patently unaffected by his imposing aura, or at least was skilled enough to hide it. Sakura felt her admiration for the woman rise even more. "Though I'm not quite so flattered with the comparison, yes, that is the long and short of it. As Onimeno-sensei said, chakra is incredibly pervasive, and deeply rooted in Nature itself."

"And makes its own sort of sense?" Sakura guessed, rubbing at her eyes glumly.

"Just so." Kurenai hesitated for a moment, before tentatively bringing forth an idea that she seemed to have dwelled on for some time. "Sakura-chan, do you think you will be informing Kiba-kun and Shino-kun of your doujutsu? It's certainly your choice, but it might be better for the dynamic of the team itself if they find out sooner rather than later."

Sakura bit her lip indecisively. "…maybe."

"Your doujutsu's function is going to start manifesting soon," Onimeno added. "So, it might be best to let them know before you set them on fire by glaring at them or electrocuting them with a wink or whatever it turns out you can do."

Sakura was silent for exactly three seconds before she exploded at him. "You said it wasn't fully formed!" She glared at him, a large part of her wishing that he _would_ burst into flames.

He shrugged, completely unfazed by her ire. "It isn't. But it _has_ entered the first stage of stability. The new chakra paths have deepened; whatever the effects are, it will till take a while, and they'll be pretty weak…but soon enough, they'll start showing up."

"Stages of stability?" Sakura felt her anger ebb away as her desire for knowledge swelled once more. "How many stages are there?"

"Depends," Onimeno ruffled a hand through her hair. "But if it helps, think of your eyes a bit like the Sharingan; those very rarely developed all at once. Mostly one or two tomoe to start with, then up to three with practice. So, depending on how your eye develops, there will be one stability stage between each appropriate catalyst."

"So…if I just don't do anything, my eyes won't change any more?" There was a faint note of hope in her voice.

Onimeno seemed to take a certain amount of pleasure in crushing it beneath his heel. "Only if you never use chakra ever again for the rest of your life. Or maybe no chakra _is_ the catalyst you need, and it will just help you move on to the next stage quicker."

"Perfect," Sakura sighed, her shoulders sinking. "…I'll think about telling Kiba and Shino," she said quietly. "I've been struggling with telling my uncle, since my parents are both off on business outside the village, but…well, Shino won't be freaked out, at the very least. I don't think anything freaks him out. Kiba…I don't know."

"Inuzuka clan members generally are paired with others who use blood-limits," Kurenai offered. "So, I don't believe having a teammate who wields a doujutsu will cause the shock and disgust you fear."

"If you say so." Sakura sighed softly.

"But, you're thinking about telling your uncle?" The older woman offered a warm, supportive smile. "That's good to hear. A supportive presence at home can make things much easier, even if they don't fully understand what's happening. I inherited these eyes from my father, so when they shifted during my childhood, my mother always made a point to compliment them. It helped me more than I can possibly say."

Sakura thought about a small Kurenai, just around five or six, with green or blue or brown eyes that gradually began to bleed red. Suddenly, having a slightly larger than average forehead didn't seem like the worst childhood experience she could have had. "I think I can imagine." And Yutaka would definitely be there for her. He was always there for her, always made the effort to love her as though she was his own child.

Something like this would never change how he felt about her. She was sure of it.

Onimeno just grunted. He seemed a little disapproving of the idea, but he was tactful enough to hold his tongue. He _had_ said that it was her choice, after all. Sakura had told him about Yutaka when her parents had left before she could tell _them_, and how he staunchly supported her choice of career even though he was a civilian.

Sakura wished he _had_ said something. At least then she could yell at him or do _something_ to knock that infuriating _knowing_ glint from his predatory gaze.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,882_

_**Total Word Count: **__7,245_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 6,667_

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_And Day 4's update is here! I've recently received a request for longer chapters; while I'm incredibly happy that people are that interested in my story, part of this challenge is in working on this story a little bit every day, and finishing at 50,000 words. So I'm basically updating with a 1,667+ word chapter everyday, on top of my normal course work. That's why I'm very sorry, but this is as good as I can do, given the amount of time I have to do it in._

_Anyways, thanks once again to MoonShadow396, The Keeper of Worlds, asdf, Guest, chained2love, Anonymous, Andelevion, minniemousemom, and Outcast001 for the reviews!_

_Tune in next time for fun with Team Eight!_


	5. Chapter 5: Forward

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 5: **_Forward_

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Sakura stared quietly at the list in her hand. Her eyes slid to the motionless boy on her left, then to the equally rigid one at her right. She closed her eyes, took a deep, calming breath, then nodded once to herself and tore the paper into slightly uneven thirds, then ripped off a small fourth strip.

"Right," she said, trying to pump cheer that she did not feel into her voice. "Right. Well, we've known that D-Ranks wouldn't be the most glorious use of our time since the Academy. It might be best if we split up the paints and tools and brushes, then leave the wood for last so all of us can help out. Sound good?"

Kurenai had wanted them to cut their teeth on an average mission as a squad straight off, so they could then train together and take a similar mission, allowing them to see the difference in the quality of their work. To keep things from getting too complicated, she had requested a fairly straightforward job helping a traveling carpenter re-stock before he left the village.

Kiba blew out a slightly depressed sigh, but nodded and held out a hand. "Man, I knew the odds were against us, but I really hoped my sister had been joking when she described these missions."

"A highly illogical conclusion, considering the number of shinobi in your clan," Shino noted, accepting his own part of the list. He had apparently taken Kiba's comment about his speech patterns to heart—or took offense—and now made the effort to speak in a slightly less clipped and closed-off manner. Kiba was still trying to get back into his good books. "While not impossible, it is highly improbable that such a large number of your relations would mislead you."

"In _your_ clan, maybe," Kiba snorted. "But my family? My family is _insane_." Akamaru barked in agreement.

"Unless you have an uncle who wanders around his estate half-dressed while dreamily waxing poetic about how the light of the sun bounces off the enamel of his teacup and gets _revered for it, _don't talk to me about eccentric relatives," Sakura threw back, quickly memorizing and pocketing her own portion of the list.

Kiba snorted, stretching and dropping into a lazy slouch. "I have an uncle who struts around in a fur kilt, Sakura. In _only_ a fur kilt. You won't beat me when it comes to this."

"Shall we meet back at the carpenter's within the next half-hour?" Shino interjected, before Sakura could open her mouth and start a new round of 'Mine Is Weirder Than Yours'. He was quite confident that he could beat the pair of them soundly, but now was neither the time nor place for it.

"Sounds good to me," Sakura nodded, as did Kiba and they split off towards the different stores they needed.

They were back with time to spare, and then set about the arduous task of wrestling the long stacks of wood their client needed back to where his wagon was waiting. Luckily, as Kurenai had opted to hang back and observe and left them with an uneven number, Kiba wasted no time in showing off Akamaru's Man-Beast Transformation.

"We're still working on extending the time," he said sheepishly when Akamaru poofed back into his normal form and flopped tiredly on the ground after their second trip.

"Shino and I can handle the rest," Sakura said, looking at her other teammate, who nodded in affirmation. "Why don't you start helping Kotaro-san arrange his supplies and get the tarp ready?"

within another hour, they had all finished and walking back to their designated training field with their first ever paychecks burning away in their pockets.

"Well," said Kiba brightly. "That was as dull as watching grass grow."

Sakura kicked at his ankle, laughing slightly when he skipped sideways to dodge. "What do you think the 'D' stands for, genius?"

Kiba let out a bark of laughter, eying her up and down from a safe distance. "Wow, Haruno. You're actually _funny_. When did that happen?"

_When my childhood dream crashed down around my ears and I realized I didn't have to try for impossible standards anymore_, Sakura didn't say. Instead she merely sniffed haughtily, and was pleasantly surprised when aid came from an unexpected quarter.

"Perhaps you have simply only recently reached the level of intelligence required to understand her humor?" Shino offered in perfect monotone.

Sakura let out a startled yelp of laughter, not expecting Shino to have such a cutting wit underneath all that customary silence. Kiba stared at the other boy, stupefied, for a few seconds before baring his teeth and playfully lunging at their teammate.

Kurenai watched them, and smiled.

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A week later saw Team Eight cooling down from their morning sparring sessions, stretching and chatting, as was their custom by now. They had not had another D-Rank since the first, instead spending full days devoted to training up their basic skills and acquainting themselves with each other's habits and quirks.

"Look," Kiba was saying, trapping his outstretched right arm against his chest for ten seconds. "All I mean is that I've never really seen what was so great." He switched to his left arm.

Sakura rolled her eyes, her left arm raised up and bent behind her back as she pushed firmly on her elbow. "And like I said, it's because you're a _boy_. It's…" She was breathing a little hard, still not as fit as the boys. But that wasn't why she faltered. "It's a pretty idea, I guess. A tragic hero needs a graceful, amazing heroine, or something." She was fairly sure she had stolen that line from one of Hiraku's letters. And that was a thought that distressed her if she thought about it for too long. "I don't think any of us really _know_ Sasuke all that well. He's the last of his clan, and cool, and kind of—well. Pretty, really."

Kiba burst out laughing, turning to stare at her incredulously. _"Pretty?"_

"He is!" Sakura insisted, mentally apologizing to Sasuke. "Look, right now the thing that girls our age think of when they hear about 'masculine' guys are our _fathers_. Maybe more of us will lose interest when we get older, but right now? Pretty and cute things trump most everything else."

"Oh so now he's _cute_ too?" Kiba was positively _delighted_ at this informative look into the female psyche, and how it could be twisted against his old, semi-rival of a classmate. "What, like a baby duckling?"

Sakura was silent for a moment, sending off a few more apologies. "…his hair is very fluffy in the back," she said, a touch defensively. Kiba began laughing so hard he nearly fell down, mumbling 'fluffy' between his cackles.

Shino, who had finished with his exercise some time ago, had apparently grown tired of waiting for Kiba's mirth top subside. He calmly walked over and neatly planted his fist in the Inuzuka's stomach, leaving him to fold over and tumble to the ground.

"Thanks, Shino," Sakura smiled, and received a nod of acknowledgement.

Kurenai surveyed the three of them with an exasperated, fond look, then shook her head. "Why don't we break for lunch? I have an appointment to keep, so you three can have an extra hour."

"Thanks, Sensei!" Sakura beamed at the older woman as she left, then folded her arms. "She's totally got a date," she said, with conviction.

"How do you know?" Kiba propped himself up on his elbows, apparently sobered from his fit of vindictive glee. Akamaru had curled up on his stomach, but raised his head to look at Sakura inquisitively as well.

"The shade of lipstick she wore was different," Sakura explained. "It was actual paint, instead of the non-smear, scentless lipstain she usually uses. That means whatever her appointment is probably isn't official or professional. Ergo, a date."

Shino and Kiba exchanged a single look of bewildered solidarity. _Girls._

"Should we go spy?" Kiba wondered, warming to the idea as soon as it crossed his mind. "I mean, just to make sure whoever this guy is, he's good enough for our teacher."

"Have you ever tried that with your own sister's suitors?" Shino asked.

"Once," Kiba admitted, wincing. "_Just_ once. She beat the crap out of me, then smacked a kiss on my cheek and ruffled my hair. It was terrifying."

"Our instructor is a genjutsu expert. I do not think she would take it well if we questioned her taste so blatantly."

"Oh. Shit."

"Shino has a point." Sakura noted. "And do we _really_ want to waste our extra hour like that?"

"Nah," Kiba grimaced and shifter Akamaru to the crook of his arm as he stood. "Let's go eat. I feel like I could eat a horse."

"You could eat anything, at any time, in any condition," Shino commented dryly.

"Screw you," Kiba said, pleasant as you please, before turning to Sakura. "The normal place sound good to you?"

Sakura looked at them for a moment, looked at them and thought of the past week, thought of the way they could refer to somewhere as 'the normal place' with such ease, thought of the budding sense of _belonging_ she was beginning to feel when she was with them. And she made a decision.

"I have something that I need to tell you two," she tried to say, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually came out, just as she had intended it. Her teammates looked at each other, then at her.

"You pregnant?" Kiba asked bluntly.

"What?" Sakura was bewildered, and a little horrified. "No!"

"You dying?"

"No!"

"Then you can tell us over lunch," Kiba decided, and began dragging her by the wrist towards the small, out of the way restaurant they normally ate at. Since there were large booths and conspicuous, leafy plants all over the eatery, Sakura reluctantly admitted that he was right, and followed along.

Kiba refused to hear her out until they had ordered and received their food, and finally graciously gave her the go-ahead as he began to tear into his ginger duck. "Alright, shoot. If it's not a career-postponing little parasite or a disease, what's got you so grim?"

"You do appear to be quite nervous," Shino agreed, placidly stirring his noodles. "It's quite unsettling, so please desist from raising the suspense anymore."

"Right." Sakura took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She subtly canceled her illusion, and tentatively opened her eyes again. "I'm…kind of developing a new doujutsu."

"Oh." Kiba blinked, before nodding approvingly and going back to his lunch. "Much more useful than a baby. What's it do?"

"I don't know yet," Sakura admitted, a blush creeping to her cheeks.

"That's generally what 'new' would imply, Kiba."

"Shut up Shino, it was a totally valid question! …so, how _do_ you figure out what it does?"

"It should start manifesting soon?" She shrugged helplessly. "That's what the doctor says, at least. Could be anything tho—_H__oly Sage on the Mountain_." She stared wide-eyed, at something on the other side of the booth.

Kiba gave her a confused look, then turned to peek out. He whipped back around, eyes wide. "Kurenai-sensei _is_ on a date!"

Shino set down his chopsticks over his now-empty bowl. "While it would be reprehensible to purposefully tail our instructor…finding an appropriate moment to offer our regards is only polite."

Sakura smiled and reapplied her illusion.

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"Don't look now," Asuma said with a casual grin as he studied his menu. "But there's a trio of little genin peering at us from the shrubbery."

"Those would be mine," Kurenai said ruefully. "I thought they would go for seafood today."

"I just saw a splash of pink," Asuma noted, with some surprise. "That can't be _Kizashi's_ little girl, can it? Man, time sure does fly…I used to bounce her up on my hip when she was small. How's she doing?"

"Quite well," Kurenai said, thinking back on the past week or so with a fond smile. "Quite well indeed. I have a good feeling about this team."

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__2,021_

_**Total Word Count: **__9,266_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 8,334_

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_And after yesterday's infodump about the technicalities of doujutsu, here we have some lighthearted Team Eight interaction!_

_Thanks again to Arkeus, cuito, anna012, Kristin, MoonShadow396, Andelevion, Anonymous, The Keeper of Worlds, Outcast001, and chained2love for their wonderful reviews!_

_Swing by tomorrow for the next chapter!_


	6. Chapter 6: Prowl

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 6: **_Prowl_

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Some time later, Onimeno was making his way up to his regular examination room for Patient Number 719's appointment that morning when the girl herself barreled right into him. It took absolutely everything he had not to lash out and kill her on instinct, but he managed to restrain himself. Barely. The close call forced an even more threatening than usual snarl onto his face, but it quickly faltered when he hauled 719 up by the back of her collar and met her teary, scared gaze.

"My eyes are changing again," the kid blurted out before he could lay into her. "It hurts." That brought him up short. Notable pain during such a gradual development was unlikely to be good, and he had told her as much.

"Go sit down and drop the illusion," he instructed gruffly, carefully lowering her back to the ground and unlocking the door. She scurried inside, and he finally had the chance to notice that she looked a bit more unkempt than usual. Her clothes were rumpled, probably recycled from the day before because they were within easy reach, and the hair she doted on was wavy and unbrushed. It was entirely likely that she had run straight to the hospital as soon as she felt something was amiss.

Which meant that she had been waiting by his door with only her growing panic and an active imagination as company for somewhere around an hour.

Onimeno rubbed the back of his neck, forced up a wave of clinical detachment, and went in after her. She looked even smaller than she usually did, curled up miserably on the large black chair. Onimeno dropped into his own seat, as he always did, and kicked a cabinet in order to roll over to her. "Okay," he said. "You know the drill, 719. Chin up and eyes wide." He heard her gulp quietly, but she squared her shoulders and raised her head.

When he saw the new addition, with a gaze unclouded by the cosmetic illusion he had taught her, he nearly rolled his eyes as a very non-clinical sense of relief welled up. "Is that all? You need to stop panicking, brat."

"My pupils are spilling out into my irises!" 719 snapped. "And it stings! I think I have _every reason_ to panic! "

Indeed, there were now small peaks of white spiking outwards from each pupil, one in the left and two in the right. Her assessment and worry was misplaced, though, so he wasted no time in correcting her. "Your pupil isn't spilling out, idiot." He flicked her in the middle of the forehead. "The iris is just splitting. Which _might_ be a problem, if it doesn't stop, but from what I see it looks pretty controlled as it is."

"…is that why it hurts?" She asked, slowly calming down from the tizzy she had worked herself up into. "The…the iris is like a ring of muscle or something, right?"

"Something like that," Onime said, grimacing. "Parts of it, at least. The muscle parts are the ones splitting into new shapes though, so you're on the right track. So that's part of why they hurt. There's another part to it. A good deal of that discomfort," he explained, withdrawing a penlight from his coat pocket. "Comes from this." With very little warning, he clicked the light on and shone it directly into her right eye.

719 let out a muted, pathetic noise and rocked back against her chair. Her palms were pressed flat over her eyelids, and she didn't lower them until she heard him click off the light and put it away. She slowly removed them, blinking rapidly before shooting him an ugly, even more teary-eyed glare. _"What the hell!"_

"Your iris, to keep it simple, controls how big your pupil is," Onimeno continued his explanation, rolling across the room to grab his clipboard and archive this development. "And since your iris is getting split and stretched—or at least the pupil-oriented parts are—that means that your pupil is getting bigger. And _that_ means that right now the nerves in your eyes are receiving more light than they ever have before. You're more sensitive than usual because of that, hence the whole weepy-thing you've got going on. On top of that, your right eye has one more split than the other one, which means you're suddenly receiving notably different amounts of light in each eye. Which I'm going to guess is disorienting and probably giving you a headache."

719 nodded, now losing most of the tension that she had been all but vibrating with earlier. Onimeno decided to count that as a victory.

"It's something you'll just have to adjust to," he went on, pen flying across the paper in his knowingly and maliciously illegible scrawl. "Especially since I caught sight of the beginning stages for more splits."

"Great," muttered 719, just as Patient Number 242 strolled in, fifteen minutes early for 719's appointment, the way she always was.

"…I'm sorry, am I late?"

"No, Sensei," 719 sighed, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "No, I was just a little early today. That's all."

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**O**

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"Why do we need a team specialty?" Sakura wondered later that day, spread out with her teammates in Kurenai's modest living room. Physical training had been canceled for the day, due to Sakura's newfound enmity for sunlight. She was lying on the low couch with a cool, wet cloth folded over her eyes. Kiba had been surprisingly supportive of the motion, grimacing and claiming that 'sensory overload was a bitch'. Shino hadn't cared one way or another.

Kiba and Shino were seated about a foot away at the coffee table, flipping through old records team match-ups and strategies.

"I must confess a similar degree of confusion," Shino admitted, a tad grudgingly. "It seems to be a very…_restrictive_ decision to make."

"Aww, come on!" Kiba was enthused enough to make up for both of his teammates. "Team Ten's already been slotted for Infiltration and Interrogation! We've gotta at least beat Team Seven into finding ours."

There was a beat of silence. Sakura carefully lifted up a corner of her compress, eyeing the feral boy incredulously.

"Really?" She asked. _"Really? _That's your argument? 'They have one, so I want one too'?"

"How juvenile."

"Kiba might not have the _purest_ of intentions," Kurenai mused as she brought out some freshly brewed tea. "But it is something you three might want to start thinking about. As much as I want to endeavor to make you perfectly well-rounded ninja, it's just not practical in the long run. Have you heard of the phrase 'jack-of-all-trades, master of none'?"

"It's still a really big decision, Sensei," Sakura argued, reluctantly pushing herself up in order to pour herself a cup. "I mean, is it really good for our careers if we're pigeonholed as a—" She swept her eyes over the loose stack of files. "—as Trackers? Or Espionage, or Sabotage…" She shrugged, sipping on her tea. "I mean, what are the benefits to deciding this early on?"

"Well, you certainly don't have to decide everything right now, but it's something to seriously consider." Kurenai smiled at them. "But the more established a given team is, the less likely it is that they'll be split up unless circumstances absolutely demand it."

There was another beat of silence.

"I would very much appreciate it if you would be so kind as to pass me that Espionage file, Sakura-san."

"Trade you for the Diplomacy file?"

"Certainly."

The three of them whittled away the day like that, leafing through the past dynamics of their village and discussing the pros and cons of each course. They didn't reach a decision that day, but Kurenai assured them that there really was no rush, no matter _what_ Kiba might think. The boy in question grumbled at that, but brightened up as they were dismissed.

"You guys are coming with me," he declared, tossing his arms around their shoulders and shepherding them down the street, deaf to their protests. "Mom told me to bring you guys to dinner."

"Usually you would invite us ahead of time, so we might be better prepared," said Shino, shrugging off his arm.

"Then you might have time to run," Kiba intoned grimly, before yelping as Sakura escaped his hold with a vicious pinch.

They wound up at a somewhat familiar, slightly shabby establishment that was filled to the brim with Inuzuka clansmen and their canine partners.

"We've got this agreement with Choji's clan," Kiba explained as they were shoved down at a central table by half a dozen exuberant backslaps. "They give us a discount, all-you-can-eat night, and we try to minimize the damage."

"Damage?" Shino inquired. Sakura was too busy laying her head down on the table top and trying to make her head throb less.

Kiba's uncle—who did wear a kilt, and wore it _very_ well—noticed. "You look hung-over, missy," he chuckled, nearly drowned out by the roar of orders that split the air when a timid waitress cautiously stepped out of the kitchen.

"Light is evil," Sakura sighed into the lacquered wood.

Kiba's uncle paused, then turned to his nephew with an accusing stare. "Is she _actually_ hung-over?" He demanded.

"Aw, stuff it old man!" Kiba huffed. "Even if she is, why would it be _my_ fault?"

A second later he had been punched halfway across the room, bowling into a knot of his cousins and sparking three different brawls. Sakura raised her head, shared a look with Shino, and then lowered it once more to hide a smile.

* * *

**O**

* * *

A few hours later, Sakura returned home, shaking her head and smiling still at the seething sea of chaos and insanity that was the Inuzuka clan.

"You seem pretty chipper tonight," Yutaka observed, looking up from a scroll. "Did something good happen?"

"I had dinner with one of my teammates' families. It was…interesting. It helped me make up my mind about something I've been struggling with for a while." They were rowdy, short-tempered, violent and downright maniacal, but the entire clan had exuded a sense of togetherness and jubilance that was infectious. "It's really something I need to talk to my parents about, but I was hoping I could talk to you first?"

Yutaka set aside his scroll, giving her his full attention. "Does this have something to do with your career as a ninja?" He asked seriously, though there was a smile tugging at his mouth.

"It's pretty deeply tied up with that, yeah." Sakura admitted. "It's going to sound a little shocking to you…" She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. She gathered her nerves together, and finally took the plunge.

She opened her eyes, and dropped the illusion.

* * *

**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,800_

_**Total Word Count: **__11,066_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 10,000_

* * *

_Wow, I really can't believe the overwhelming response I've been getting for this story! My inbox has been flooded with reviews and favorites and follows all day. I was seriously touched!_

_To briefly address some concerns I received about this story: this is a **really** fast rough draft. I'm literally posting these chapters up as soon as I finish writing them, and I only really spent about half a week (collectively) planning out this story, so a lot of what I'm writing comes to me as I write it. That means that some of the details and plot points are might seem a bit loose or contrived, and that some of the facts will seems a bit off. Honestly, sometime in the future, when I have more time and this is finished, I'm going to go back and do some major editing for this story, as well as pertinent research. Until then , I hope you'll enjoy the story, unpolished as it is._

_I'd like to thank anna012, Higanbana.4, Arkeus, MoonShadow396, Anonymous, dragonstrike7, flan bridge, minniemousemom, The Unicorn, Andelevion, delilah-smurple, Silver Queen, Uchihahaha, Ka, A-Beehive-of-Squirrels, Sayle, Outcast001, Chibified-chan, Guest, and Angurvddel for their reviews!_

_See you all tomorrow!_


	7. Chapter 7: Cut

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 7: **_Cut_

* * *

**O**

* * *

Sakura felt numb.

"_AUGH! …m-maa, Sakura-chan, that's not a very nice joke to play on your poor old uncle. Cut it out."_

She wasn't sure how long she had run, wasn't sure how long she had been sitting on the bench. It had started to rain at some point, and for a while the trees nearby had kept her half dry. But it was dark now, and she was soaked to the skin. It wasn't smart, or healthy, but she couldn't bring herself to move from that spot.

"…_what do you mean, 'you can't'? This isn't funny, Sakura."_

Time slipped by, maybe minutes, maybe hours, until finally something broke the monotony of the night.

"…the hell…719, do you have a goddamn _death-wish_ or something?!"

"_**Happy**__? How could I be happy? I thought you were going to tell me you've finally given up on this insane job, not…not…"_

Sakura slowly lifted her head to catch sight of Onimeno holding an umbrella in one hand and a heavy bag of alcohol in the other His face was caught somewhere between bewildered, concerned, and infuriated by her sudden lack of any basic sense what-so-ever. Whatever sarcastic, vicious or demeaning comment was working its way out of his mouth died as soon as he saw her face.

"_Not that you've turned into some kind of __**freak**__!"_

Her mouth trembled dangerously, and for the first time in their entire acquaintance, Sakura saw blind panic flash across the terrifying doctor's face. "Oi!" he snapped. "No! Bad! No crying! Shit…" He glanced around, but the weak light of the nearby lamppost didn't reveal any people more suitable to deal with this situation or helpful hints. "Uh…"

"You were right," Sakura croaked, miserable right down to her marrow. "I should have told my parents first."

Slowly the panic drained away, only to be replaced with a white-hot emotion that flashed too wildly behind his eyes for her to properly get a read on. "Your uncle," he said simply, though even that much came out menacing.

"He c-called me…" Sakura blinked rapidly, and she wasn't sure anymore if the way she was shaking was because she was cold or because she was doing her best not to cry. "He…"

"I'm pretty sure I can fill in the blanks," Onimeno murmured, fist clenching until the bottles in his bag chimed together. After a moment, he let out a long sigh and raised a hand, gesturing impatiently. "Come on." At Sakura's confused glance he rolled his eyes. "Not even _I'm_ heartless enough to leave a brat to catch her death in the rain. Now _come on._"

Slowly, reluctantly, Sakura unfolded herself from the stone bench and stumbled over to him, unsteady and cramping after being in that position for so long. He started walking, tossing her an annoyed glance every now and then when he thought that she was lagging, but he always made sure that she was under the umbrella. They stopped in front of a surprisingly normal house, which Onimeno unlocked and entered.

"Really, Kyo!" A sweet, exasperated voice called from what Sakura could only assume was the living room. "Going out to get sake at a time like this is just—oh, hello." A pretty young blonde woman walked into view, visibly startled by the young girl's presence.

Sakura belatedly realized that she had yet to reapply her illusion. She raised her hands to rectify her oversight, but was stopped by Onimeno's fingers tightening on her shoulder.

"No hiding your eyes," he told her. "Not in my house. She's seen worse." He turned back to the blonde and hooked his thumb over at Sakura. "Mind drawing a bath for the brat before she keels over?" It came out as nearly an order, and he received a scowl for it, But there was a sort of casualness to it, as though it was merely one big inside joke, or a custom they never thought twice about.

"Come on, let's get you warmed up." The woman ushered her off to the bathroom. "I'm Onimeno Yuya, by the way. That big lout back there—"

"Love you too, Dog Face!" Onimeno called from the kitchen.

"Shut up, brute!"

"I'm…I'm Sakura," Sakura managed to say as they reached the bathroom, before her mind stalled. She was abruptly torn from her own melodrama as reality seemed, for a moment, like it was ready to pull apart at the seams. "Wait," she shook her head, leaning back against the sink. "Wait a minute. I-I think I've misunderstood something. You're not—I mean…you didn't…you and _him_?"

Yuya laughed, her green eyes sparkling with mirth as she got the bath started, water sloshing hotly into the large tub. "If I had a ryo for every time someone has asked me that since we got married…well, let's just say I'd be a very rich woman. But yes. Me and him."

"Willingly?" Sakura wanted to know, even as she peeled off her soaked qi-pao.

"I sometimes wish I could plead that it was a moment of insanity, but yes," Yuya shook her head fondly. "Hold on, I'll be back with some spare clothes that might fit you; a friend of ours outgrew them a while ago, but he was just a little bit bigger than you though, so it might be a little loose, but it will do for the night."

"I can't impose on you," Sakura tried to insist.

"Do you have somewhere else to go?" Yuya asked, not unkindly.

Sakura thought of the look in Yutaka's eyes, thought of his words, and could only shake her head. "…no. Not tonight, at least." She couldn't handle going back there so soon. Not with the wound this fresh.

"Well, even if you did, I'd still insist. The rain's been picking up more and more, and if I managed to guilt Kyo into walking you back in it, he'd just be even more of an insufferable grouch for the next few days." She straightened and smoothed down her kimono, before clapping her hands cheerfully. "Right! I'll go dig out those fresh clothes. You just focus on warming up, Sakura-chan; you look like a stiff wind could knock you down."

"Thank you, Yuya-san." Sakura managed a small, weak facsimile of a smile, but it melted away as soon as the kindly older woman disappeared from sight. Sakura proceeded to strip down the rest of the way, then slid into the wonderfully, wickedly hot water. She settled back, letting her head loll back against the cool porcelain lip as her gaze wandered off. She waited.

Soon enough the door opened once more, just long enough for Yuya to place a neatly folded stack of clothes on the tiled floor and slip out again. Sakura gradually slipped down, until only her nose and upwards weren't submerged. Then and only then, she allowed herself to start crying.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"And that's basically what happened," Sakura said, dangling her feet in the small stream below the bridge they were seated on. Her team stared at her, part horrified, part enraged, and wholly worried—the smile she was making an effort to keep up was visibly brittle and contrived. Sakura rested her temple against the red wood of the bridge's guardrails. "Yuya-san told me I could come back any time, and Onimeno-sensei told me that if I looked like I'd been living in an alley or something when he saw me at our next appointment because of pride or manners, he'd beat me with his clipboard."

"That…" Kiba was struggling. "That…"

"The phrase I believe you are searching for," Shino said. "Is 'unmitigated bastard'." He seemed as coolly-tempered as he usually was, but there was a faint, insistent buzz coming from the collar of his heavy jacket. "

The phrase Kiba was searching for apparently didn't translate into human speech clearly enough for his liking, and he spent the next few minutes letting out guttural snarls and fang-bearing growls at the air in front of him, as did Akamaru. After a while longer, his hackles seemed to settle, at least superficially, and he eyed his teammates warily.

"…Don't tell my mom I said all that, okay? She might dangle me out of my window by my underwear again."

"She does this frequently?" Shino asked with the smallest hint of genuine interest. Sakura could have kissed him then, in all his reclusive, bug-housing glory. As happy as it made her that Kiba was so angry on her behalf, she really didn't want to dwell on what happened too much. Not then, when it was so recent and it still hurt so badly.

Kurenai touched her shoulder gently, and she twisted around to look up at the other woman. "Sakura," she said, her voice quiet but deliberate. "The moment you earned this," she lightly tapped the forehead-protector on top of Sakura's head. "You essentially became an adult in the eyes of the village, in every way that matters. No one can force you to return to that house until you wish it. But in the meantime, I would feel better if you stayed with me for the time being, instead of seeking out lodgings on your own. We still aren't taking many missions, so you'll burn through your savings in no time."

"I can't go that far," Sakura tried to insist, but Kurenai wouldn't let her.

"I'm your instructor, Sakura. When it comes to your well-being, be it physical, mental, or emotional, I want you to always be in the best state possible, and I'll do whatever I can to make that happen." Her red eyes were warm and fond. "Besides, if you protest too much, you'll hurt my feelings."

"…okay," Sakura agreed reluctantly, looking down. Kurenai sighed at the subdued response, but their attention was quickly arrested by a large splash. They exchanged a look, then turned around to face the not-so-unexpected sight of Kiba sputtering in the stream.

Shino stared innocently—or so they assumed—from behind his dark glasses.

"…I required a practical demonstration of a useful maneuver," he insisted, even as Kiba sloshed angrily over to pursue his revenge.

Sakura felt her mouth twitch into a ghost of her normal grin, and shook her head in exasperation. Her heart still hurt, and everything still felt off-kilter and wrong, but it was nice to see that at least _some_ things remained constant.

* * *

**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,726_

_**Total Word Count: **__12,792_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 11,667_

* * *

_And finally, the promised family drama has arrived. I did promise this wasn't going to be easy on her! _

_Thanks to flan bridge, The Keeper of Worlds, Anonymous, anna012, MoonShadow396, Vesper, minniemousemom, Andelevion, terrorofthehighway, ChicFreakSistaFierce, Guest(#1), FayIX, Hanane El Mokkadem, Nothing Gold, and Guest(#2) for their reviews!_

_Now I'm going to dash off to class. See you all tomorrow!_


	8. Chapter 8: Shame

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 8: **_Shame_

* * *

**O**

* * *

"You wanted this," Kiba reminded Sakura, before he sidestepped her clumsy blow and flipped her neatly onto her back for the sixth thime that day.

She huffed, but the layers of cloth and metal covering her eyes muted the heat of her glare. "I know, I know. I _do_ want to learn how to fight blind, and I'll probably need to once I figure out how to use these stupid eyes, just in case…but I thought I'd at least be a little better than _this_."

Shino and Kiba exchanged a look, even as the more boisterous boy began laughing and teasing her. Sakura hadn't wanted to talk about what happened with her uncle after that first day, and instead proceeded to throw herself into training and missions with a gusto. There were signs though, obvious to those who would look, that she was still reeling from the after math.

She was using that minor illusion of hers less and less, but was developing new habits to compensate it. She looked down more, with lowered lashes. A few civilian boys at the places they went for lunch sometimes mistook her for a shy, demure young lady, but Kiba and Shino were usually able to intimidate them away, for the sake of sparing the poor guys a sudden and blunt rejection. They weren't certain a civilian would be able to survive the responses Naruto had used to receive.

Furthermore, when it wasn't covering her eyes, her forehead-protector was more often than not tied to her bicep. It left her long bangs loose and free to drift in front of her eyes, which she didn't seem to discourage. And this newfound interest in fighting blindfolded shed the last little bit of light they needed to fully see the complex that was beginning to settle.

"Sakura-san," Shino spoke up, prompting her to sit up and carefully peek over the top of her makeshift blindfold. Her left eye had grown in the (supposedly) last of her spikes, while the fifth on the right one was still poking out. None of them were the same size, and seemed to still be growing. "There is a place which I need to pay a visit to once we have finished. If you would be so kind, I would like the pair of you to accompany me there."

"Oh." Sakura blinked, ostensibly a bit taken aback at the sudden invitation from him. "Yeah, sure.; we can do that. I'm going to try a few more times before giving up for the day, though."

"Oi, why does only Sakura get the formal treatment if we're all going?" Kiba wanted to know.

Shino was quiet for a moment. "Ah, of course. I apologize for the unintended slight." He turned towards his other teammate and bowed cordially. "Akamaru-san, if it does not trouble you, would you be so kind as to lend me your presence as I see to an errand?"

Akamaru yipped his assent from Kiba's hood as his partner gaped.

Sakura laughed and retied her forehead-protector over her eyes, pushing herself to her feet. "Okay, I'm sure Akamaru has a tight schedule to keep, so we'd better get cracking. Kiba, let's go again."

They resumed their practice, but Sakura still failed to make any rapid progress. After the tenth time she wound up on her back, she reluctantly surrendered and tied her forehead protector back on her arm, not noticing the frown it brought to Kiba's face.

Shino stepped forward, though, and any chance for immediate intervention on the matter was pushed aside as they fell in step with him. It was a quiet walk, but a short one, down small streets and quiet paths, until they stopped in front of a small, unmarked shop. Shino opened the door, devoid of the more common bells attached to some, and they slipped inside.

The lines were lines with rows and rows of glasses, glasses of every shape and style and color. Kiba and Sakura stopped short just inside, gaping, while Shino calmly made a beeline for the main counter, while a wizened old man was ready with a smile and a small, thin box.

"Ah, Shino-kun!" He smiled, his eyes all but disappearing in the plethora of wrinkles the motion brought to life. "I've been expecting you. These two are your teammates, I take it?"

Shino made a small noise of assent, and the old man went about holding a conversation for both of them. Still lingering in the doorway, Kiba and Sakura had broken into a hushed, frantic congress.

"You're being stupid," Sakura whispered harshly, though her eyes showed a fair amount of doubt in her own conviction.

"I'm not!" Kiba insisted quietly. "Look my sister told me about this place; the Aburame clan basically comes here exclusively, and they only bring in people who are like engaged to marry in or something."

"Your sister also told you that the Genin Exams would be a jounin beating you until you couldn't stand, that you'd grow breasts when you got to be her age, and that if you were bad a fiery octopus would drag you into the toilet while you were using it," Sakura reminded him. Hana had regaled Team Eight with many amusing, mortifying childhood stories, with the added commentary of any relative close and arguably sober enough to follow along.

"…but what if she was _right_?" Kiba insisted, stepping over those barbed memories nonchalantly. "I mean, we're like his best non-insect friends, right? What if…" Hiss voice dropped ominously. "What if he wants to be _best friends __**forever**_?"

"Moron."

They whirled around to face Shino, pasting up the most innocent expressions they could manage.

"My clan is not the sole consumer-base for this shop," Shino continued, his eyebrow twitching slightly. "Many shinobi frequent this establishment, as its wares have excellent grips and fasteners to keep eyewear from flying off in combat." He made a noise that would have been an exasperated sigh from anybody else, and held the box in his hand out to Sakura.

She took it and glanced at him for permission, before carefully removing the lid. There was a pair of sunglasses inside, with large lenses and thick temples. She pulled them out and slid them on, blinking at how they seemed to fit perfectly to the curves of her head and ears. They also felt like they covered half her face. She shook her head, first gently and then violently, but they did not budge. "Wow…these are really good. But you didn't have to go so far…"

"There is a line between cautionary discretion and hiding in shame," Shino told her bluntly. "As a…teammate, it would naturally be uncomfortable for me to witness you crossing that line. I trust that this is an acceptable substitute?"

"Very acceptable," Sakura hurried to assure him, a warm smile blossoming on her face. "Though, I do have to ask; why are they so big?"

Shino shifted, almost uncomfortably. "I…am not aware of what is currently aesthetically pleasing to the females of our age bracket. I left the style up to Kondo-san. He seemed quite certain that these were 'in style'."

"They don't look as weird after the first minute!" Kiba assured her helpfully, before looking around with palpable eagerness. "Let's go pick out mine!"

Sakura blinked behind her tinted glasses. "Why are you getting a pair?"

"They can be our Team Thing!" Kiba enthused, craning his head to scan one wall from ceiling to carpet.

"'Team Thing'?" Sakura and Shino exchanged a glance that would be baffled, but translated as suave and pensive due to their obscured eyes and made their teammate's enthusiasm skyrocket even more.

"Yeah! Like, how the members of Team Ten all have the same earrings! Except we'll look like fifty times cooler."

"What is it with you and following Team Ten's trends?" Sakura wanted to know. "Do we need to ground you from talking to Shikamaru and Choji?"

Kiba waved her off. "Hey, which would look better? The big triangular ones, or the ones with slits in them?" Sakura blanched in disgust at the choices he presented, and quickly made her way over to dissuade him from both. Shino followed after, shaking his head slowly.

Thirty minutes later, they left. Kiba was sporting a slightly slanted, rectangular pair of sunglasses, and Sakura's forehead protector was back in its customary place, holding her hair back.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"Well," Kurenai said when Sakura returned to the apartment. "It's good to see that you didn't just spend your free day training, for once."

Sakura flushed guiltily.

"I like them," her teacher said before tilting her head and giving the girl a quick once over. "Though, ah…"

"Yeah, it doesn't really go with my current style," Sakura admitted, tugging at the skirt of her dress pointedly. "I'm growing more attached to them by the minute, though." It was nice not to have the small, insistent drain of the eye-illusion pulling at her chakra for once.

"Well," Kurenai said thoughtfully, rising from the couch. "You've still got some hours of freedom left. We could go fix that, if you like."

Sakura perked up at the promise of new clothes.

By the time they returned to the apartment, Sakura was the proud new owner of three short-sleeved shirts in dark shades of red, a long zip-up grey vest with a black hood and interior, and tight, black shorts that, while not as easy to move in as her spandex pair, were much more comfortable and could be worn without an over-skirt.

Sakura fingered the high-quality red fabric she had gotten so accustomed to wearing, trailing down to trace over the large white circles blatantly emblazoned all over it. It had been a gift—not form her uncle, of course, since she hadn't burned it in a fit of wounded pique, yet—but supposedly from her grandfather, to match her mother's and give her a link to her non-combatant family.

Sakura folded it up carefully and placed it out of the way. Family was important; it would always be important to her, no matter what. Not even Yutaka's cutting words would be able to change that. But family couldn't always come first for her, now that she had sworn her life into service for the village. She was proud to be a ninja of Konoha, and to uphold that pride, she had to be practical about difficult decisions.

Also, she really was growing to love her new sunglasses, and a qi-pao just didn't mesh with that gracefully.

Satisfied with herself, Sakura continued to get ready for bed, resolving to embroider a small white circle somewhere discrete on the vest when she had the time.

* * *

**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,782_

_**Total Word Count: **__14,574_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 13,334_

* * *

_Gosh, sorry for the late update guys! I headed home for the long weekend today, so I spent a long time travelling and catching up with my parents. I still have like twenty minutes before midnight, though, so it totally still counts!_

_Thanks to Sayle, The Keeper of Worlds, Andelevion, anna012, Lady Calus, Anonymous, MoonShadow396, Higanbana.4, minniemousemom, Chibified-chan, Guest(#1), InsanityItself, Silver Queen, dragonstrike7, FayIX, catxangel, LadyDream3512, shadow-binder, Guest(#2), RadiantCherryBlossom, and Fourteen Days Left for their wonderful reviews!_

_Well, that's all for today! See you all tomorrow!_


	9. Chapter 9: Impulse

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 9: **_Impulse_

* * *

**O**

* * *

Onimeno let out a low, sarcastic whistle when she slid her sunglasses back on after their next appointment. "Well, well. Seems we have a _badass_ over here."

"Shut up," Sakura grumped, sliding out of the chair. She was more than a little put out, not so much by his teasing, but by the fact that she and her teammates had not been able to figure out the effects of her eyes. Onimeno had assured her that they were developing and that the chakra channels had strengthened, but none of them had seen any significant effects that could be attributed to her budding doujutsu. "I like them."

"Gives you less of a headache than that damn illusion," he agreed, tossing his clipboard back in its regular place. "That's for damn sure."

"Is that why you don't use it?" Sakura wondered, as she and Kurenai headed for the door.

Onimeno snorted, then smirked at her. "Kid, do you really think I give two shits about whether or not people find me _scary?"_

Before Sakura could answer, the door was slammed open by one of the last people she had expected to bump into again.

"…Sasuke-kun?" Her eyes were wide behind her sunglasses.

Sasuke gave her a slightly taken aback look, either at the radical wardrobe change she had underwent since he had last seen her or the shock of seeing her in _this_ examination room. He quickly recovered and turned away from her dismissively before setting his sights on the doctor. "You need to examine me," he said shortly. "Now."

"Really, _Patient Number 654?"_ Onimeno sneered. The sheer amount of disdain and mockery packed into Sasuke's designation made the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck rise. "I don't recall you making an appointment. I _do_ recall, however, telling you that if you weren't bleeding from your eyes or blind that I didn't want you barging in here without a damned appointment."

"My Sharingan finally activated!" Sasuke snapped, pride and frustration warring across his face.

"Well hurrah for you," Onimeno brushed past him. "It's about goddamn time, honestly. Set up an appointment with the receptionist and we'll see if you can do anything with them yet." He ruffled Sakura's hair a bit roughly on the way out. "719, keep working at it. I'll see you at our next _appointment_, which you take such nice, polite pains to schedule in advance so I'm not _inconvenienced._" And then he was gone, sweeping out and leaving a silence not unlike that in a broken forest after a hurricane had passed. Sasuke growled and kicked at the large black chair.

_Don't touch my chair,_ something deep in Sakura snarled possessively, startling her. She shook her head lightly, and then offered a tentative, pacifying smile. "Oh, um…welcome back, Sasuke-kun. I guess you had a pretty eventful mission?" Kiba, who apparently had a glorified gossip-circle of some sort going on with Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto, had been whining about Team Seven receiving their first C-Rank since they had left.

Sasuke glared at her violently, before calming. Sakura's sunglasses had caught most of her flinch, thankfully, but most of the butterflies in her stomach had dropped dead. Then, surprisingly, he visibly calmed himself. "It…ended up being a higher rank than the village was told it should have been," he said. "We faced some incredibly strong opponents. Hinata was admitted here last night. The dobe got a bridge named after him." And with that curt, dismissive and entirely unhelpful explanation he left.

Sakura and Kurenai had shared a look and shrugged, before making their way out of the hospital. Before she passed through the doors, though, Sakura hesitated. Something Sasuke had said was nagging at her. When her teacher turned an inquisitive look on her, she bit her lip. "Um, I just remembered something I have to do," she explained. "I…don't _think_ I'll be late for training, but I might be. Is it okay, just for today?"

Kurenai smiled knowingly. "I'll make sure the boys don't tear the village down with a search party."

Sakura thanked her and hurried back to the desk, where she was met with a fond greeting from the nurse. "Excuse me, but could you please tell me which room Hyuuga Hinata is in?"

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**O**

* * *

"Knock, knock."

It would be an understatement to say that Hinata was surprised when the door to her hospital room opened and Sakura entered with a tentative wave and a smile. That wasn't to say she was surprised to see _Sakura _specifically; the fact that anybody was visiting surprised her. Naruto, Sasuke and their teacher had been informed of her condition and had bid her a goodnight and a quick recovery the previous night. She held very little hope that any of her relatives, immediate or otherwise, would take time out of their schedules to see her unless they needed her for something.

She recovered as fluidly as she could and bowed her head politely. "G-Good morning, S-Sakura-san."

"Morning!" The bright girl chirped back, sliding her hands into the pockets of the long, gray vest she wore unzipped over her new outfit. "A little birdie let it slip that they had you cloistered away here. What are you in for?"

Hinata slowly raised her hands from where they were folded in her lap, displaying the bandages neatly wrapped around them from wrist to fingertip. Sakura sucked in an apprehensive breath, which was completely understandable; a shinobi's hands were their life. Hinata hastened to set her at ease. "I-It really i-isn't as bad as it l-looks," she assured. "It's mainly ep-epidermal. N-Not structural."

"How did it happen?" Sakura asked, pulling up a chair to her bedside and dropping into it.

"On our m-mission, we f-faced an opponent with a strong i-ice blood-limit," Hinata explained, forcing herself not to fidget with her hands. "H-He could create a d-dome of ice m-mirrors, and used them in coordination with s-senbon attacks. S-Sasuke-san was trapped in them. I…" It was like a dream, remembering the flash of assertiveness that had possessed her. "I-I told N-Naruto-kun to g-guard our client and u-used a modified re-replacement jutsu to take Sasuke-san's place." She paused, a pleased flush creeping up her neck as she recalled her triumph. "My cl-clan has a certain d-defensive t-technique which u-utilizes our doujutsu. I-I finally managed to perform it c-correctly…but m-my chakra levels were a-already a little depleted f-from the fight, so the s-senbon left a little d-damage behind. It e-ended when he t-tried to dodge and one of the de-deflected needles p-pierced through his eye. He d-died instantly."

"…wow." Even with her new eyewear, Sakura's thunderstruck expression was clear as day.

"Y-Yeah." Hinata nodded, swallowing down a giggle.

"Sooo…" Sakura drew the syllable out, rubbing the back of her neck as she casted about for the right words. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but…if you did so well, and the damage isn't anything major, why were you looking so down in the dumps when I first came in?"

_You've misread things, Sakura-san,_ Hinata intended to say, but what came out was a small, quiet: "I-I'm worried my f-father will still be disappointed with me."

"…for what?" Sakura asked, her eyebrows raising enough to be seen above her large lenses.

And to Hinata's shock and internal dismay, she cracked. She spoke about her father's seemingly sky-high standards, how she always seemed to be falling short, how she wondered if he was trying to tell her to just give up and cede her title of heir to her younger sister, and how she sometimes wondered if he might actually be happy with her if she _did_ step aside in favor of Hanabi.

Sakura lapsed into a thoughtful sort of silence, her face settling into an expression that was nigh inscrutable behind her glasses. Then, leaning forward with her arms braced on her knees, she spoke. "Hey, Hinata-san, want to hear a story?"

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**O**

* * *

_It was cold, out on the veranda. It was the first time Sakura had ever seen snow, and she was enraptured by the way it fluttered down, gradually blanketing the barren trees, the boulders, and the iced-over pond in pristine white. However, she spent just as much time peeking over at the large, regal man beside her and quickly turning back to the frozen garden whenever it seemed like he would turn to look at her._

_The girl's in her class sometimes talked about their grandfathers—their funny "jijis" and doting "ojii-chans". They never spoke to Sakura, though, and that was one time, at least, that she was grateful not to be included. She didn't have a jiji or an ojii-chan; Haruno Hideki was her honored Sofu-sama, and calling him anything less, she had been told, would be a 'breech of conduct'. She had suspected that a sofu-sama was very different from the average ojii-chan, and so far she seemed to be entirely correct._

_He wasn't bald. And he didn't have white hair, which Sakura was actually grateful for; his hair was long and silky and black, twisted into an elegant topknot with the rest sloping down his back. He had all his teeth, and the only thing wrong with his back that she noticed was that it was always straight and rigid, like a pole._

_He had some wrinkles, but he never slipped her sweets when her parents weren't looking. He never told her stories or silly jokes. Her mother had told her in a conspiratory whisper that she had been his favorite grandchild, but Sakura could barely remember meeting him before._

_Sakura chanced another look at him and flushed and squeaked in shock when she met his cool, dark gaze. She was paralyzed for a minute, unable to fee with her legs paralyzed from the formal position she had to sit in. Finally, struck with inspiration, she hid behind the long sleeves of her kimono._

_After a long, long silence, she cautiously uncovered one eye and peeked up. He was standing now, apparently unhindered by the irksome position. Slowly, he extended a hand, looking back towards the main hall where the rest of their family was likely gathered. "Come," he said shortly, when it became apparent that she wasn't sure what he wanted._

_Sakura stumbled to her feet as quickly as she could, wincing and swaying as a vicious bout of pins-and-needles attacked her legs. Hideki's large hand easily enfolded her own, fastening tightly. His long, billowing sleeve easily swallowed up her small arm, and for a moment Sakura felt as though she was about to be devoured by a large monster. She followed along obediently, though, as gracefully as she could, relying heavily on that iron-like grip to steady her and keep her from tripping over the hem of her kimono._

_Just before they entered he retracted his hand, and one of his many retainers morphed from the shadows to present a missive from some lord or another. Hideki nodded shortly and accepted it, then looked at her and gestured to the large chamber before them. Sakura understood that much at least, and quickly bowed before scurrying in as carefully as she could._

"_Sakura-chan!" Her uncle Yutaka called out from across the crowded room, on the raised dais that the rest of the main family was seated around. She made her way over, nearly tripping only twice before she got there. Sakura's parents were busy talking to her aunts, Tsubaki and Akemi, both of whom were heavily pregnant with her future cousins, and Toshio and Tatsuo were off playing around with some boys from one of the branch families, so Sakura settled in between Yutaka and Hiraku._

"_You look pensive," Hiraku murmured in his dreamy, deep tone, his gaze boring into the glittering chandelier the clan had been gifted with by some well-travelled diplomat. "A shade troubled, even. Whatever could be burdening such a light, fluttery heart as yours?" Sakura's mother said that his words could be as heavily perfumed as he himself was. Sakura liked that about him though; he always smelled nice, and he sounded beautiful even if she didn't always understand him._

"_Something wrong?" Yutaka peered down at her._

"_Does Sofu-sama love me?" Sakura asked, though that wasn't exactly the reason she was so worried._

_Hiraku let out a soft, melodious laugh. Yutaka's gentle smile faltered though, twisting slightly before settling into something bright but entirely to brittle to be mistaken for sincere, even to his young niece. "What a silly question. Of course he does. You're his favorite."_

_Sakura had heard that line before from her mother, but hearing it from Yutaka gave it a slightly bitter sound, and for the first time, Sakura wondered if it was a lie. She lapsed into a silence that lasted only as long as it took for Hiraku to start talking about a new story he had read, and the poem he was composing to commemorate the New Year._

_Finally Hideki returned, sweeping into the room and sucking out every last bit of sound. He strode up to the Main House's dais, and then kept going until he reached a second elevation, which he gracefully settled upon. He raised a hand, and the feast was brought out._

_Sakura budged over for her cousins so they could sit with their father, nearly clambering into Hiraku's lap. He idly tugged her all the way in, helping her grip her chopsticks and telling her about all the different, beautifully arranged foods that were placed before her._

_After a few hours the food was cleared away, and the light cover of chatter that had risen up evaporated once again. It was a special custom in the clan that, while celebrating the New Year, a clan member could approach their Head with a request for a special boon for the coming year. _

_Not many often worked up the nerve to make requests of Hideki, but the Main House was always given first shot at trying. So when the chance was offered, Sakura swallowed thickly and clambered out of her uncle's lap, slowly and carefully making her way to stand in front of her grandfather. It was terrifying, standing there and bearing the brunt of his full attention, plus that of their entire and extended clan._

"_Speak," he bade her, and she had to squeeze her hands together to keep them from shaking. _

"_Sofu-sama, I-I'm going to be six in March," Sakura stammered, trying not to shrink down and mostly succeeding. "I want to go to the Academy, then. I want to be a ninja."_

_Hideki was quiet for a long, long moment, his stare boring into her. "Why?" He finally asked. "Do you wish to be a shinobi like your father? Or a like the heros in the tales you have undoubtedly been told?" _

_Sakura thought she might have heard Hiraku gulp somewhere behind her, but didn't—couldn't—look away from Hideki. "No, Sofu-sama," she shook her head. "I…want to be my own kind of shinobi."_

_For an even longer minute, Sakura was sure that he was going to refuse, which he had the right to do. But then he nodded, slow and controlled. "Then do so."_

_She bowed low and scurried back to her place between her gob-smacked uncles, a relieved smile blooming on her face._

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**O**

* * *

"And…" Sakura paused, frowning sheepishly. "Sorry, I kind of rambled on, didn't I? Where was I even going with that…oh!" She snapped her fingers. "Right. The point I was trying to get across is that sometimes men like my grandfather and your father are kind of hard to understand. So I think you're being a bit too pessimistic about how he feels about you."

"But…" Hinata's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "But the p-part with your u-uncle…"

"Oh. Well…that same uncle kind of called me a freak recently, so I've been looking back at things in a different light nowadays." Sakura rubbed the back of he neck.

Hinata stared at her in shock. "…b-but…why?"

Sakura looked momentarily uncomfortable, but her expression cleared easily enough. "Can you keep a secret, Hinata-chan?"

Flustered at the casual upgrade in honorific, Hinata nodded. Sakura flipped her shades up, revealing eyes that were radically different from what they had been during their time at the Academy. "I s-see," she said quietly. "D-Doujutsu can be a b-bit…difficult for civilians to h-handle. Especially n-nobility."

"Yeah," Sakura sighed. "Like, my dad's a ninja, so I know he'll be thrilled for me, but I'm not sure how Mom's going to take it. And I can't just tell one of them and keep it a secret from the other…"

"I-I'm sure it will all w-work out…Sakura-chan." Hinata smiled shyly. "Th-They're your parents, a-after all. I-It's instinct for them to love you."

"Might want to take your own advice there," Sakura advised, winking and poking the heiress in the side. A moment later she was standing up and sliding her sunglasses back down. "Normally I'd stick around for a bit longer," Sakura apologized, "But I'm about ten minutes late for training, which means Shino is either starting to put weird, troubling ideas into Kiba's head for his own amusement, or is about to use his bugs to catapult Kiba straight over the Hokage's Tower."

"I understand," Hinata murmured. "P-Perhaps…we could speak again at a later date…?"

"I'd like that," Sakura grinned, before waving her good-bye and strolling out of the room. She almost ran straight into a tall, austere man who, though she could be mistaken, she was fairly sure to be the father she had just spent so long listening about. They looked at each other for a long moment, and as Sakura bowed cordially she had to wonder just how long he had been standing outside that hospital room.

As she exited the hospital and took to the rooftops for a quicker route, she hoped that he had at least heard enough to understand and correct whatever miscommunication had developed.

Unnecessary family drama, she had found, was draining. She wouldn't wish it on anyone, let alone a sweet girl like Hinata.

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__3,003_

_**Total Word Count: **__17,577_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 15,000_

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_This is one of those chapters that was just…really fun to write. Hence why it went on and on._

_As always, thanks a bunch to Black-footed, The Keeper of Worlds, Andelevion, MoonShadow396, A-Beehive-of-Squirrels, LadyCalus, Judah, Guest, LadyDream3512, Sumiku Agaishi, MoonlightShadowMaiden, Anonymous, Chibified-chan, romantiscue, and Higanbana.4 for their reviews! This story has actually broken 100 reviews which really surprised me! I'm honored, and I hope I can satisfy my loyal readers, old and new alike._

_See you all tomorrow!_


	10. Chapter 10: Strength

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 10: **_Strength_

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**O**

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Team Eight was on the hunt.

They had chased their target for over an hour, wearing him down bit by bit, until he was lost and disoriented in the forest they had surreptitiously shepherded him towards. Now, however, came the moment of truth. Akamaru was chasing the target down, and they had to be on the look out for the first sign of weakness.

"Come on, you jumped-up ratter," Sakura breathed, glaring down at the streak of fur she was tailing from the treetops. As if some merciful, feline-hating god had heard her pleas, Tora abruptly stumbled, his speed sending him tripping tail over ears into a bush.

"_Shino, now!"_ Kiba urged over the radio.

There was silence on the Aburame end of the frequency, but a black cloud of insects quickly converged upon the shrubbery. For a long moment the foliage rustled violently, and the air was split with yowls of defiance that slowly tapered off. In time, the bush went still and Tora's limp body was dragged out by the triumphant kikachu colony.

"And that's that," Kiba noted as he leapt down from his cover, kneeling to scratch his partner fondly for the puppy's excellent performance. "Seriously, what the hell. Didn't another team have to find this thing like a month ago?"

"Five weeks," Shino agreed. "Lady Fushimi supposedly forgot something here, and refused to let anybody else retrieve it. She returned, and the target took the opportunity to try to escape once more."

"Don't complain about nobles throwing money at us, Kiba," Sakura advised, picking up the unconscious cat. There were two or three insects still in its fur, so she trusted that it wouldn't wake up any time soon. "Speaking of which, let's get back to the Tower; I'm hungry. Since we finished early, Sensei will probably let us grab a bite to eat before we either train or take on another D-Rank."

"The normal place?"

"I'm kind of craving seafood, actually."

"Sounds good to me!"

"I find the idea acceptable as well."

The trio returned the drowsing feline to his overly-affectionate mistress, and offered their apologies for the 'delay'.

"We made sure Akamaru-chan wasn't with us when we first went looking for Tora-san," Sakura insisted, her expression angelic and innocent. "But he must have smelled the dog on us, because he took off as soon as we found him. Akamaru-chan helped us track him down again, but Kiba made sure that he was restrained any time we came close. I hope we didn't scare the poor thing too much…"

The Daimyo's wife assured them that she was sure they had been as kind as they possibly could be with her precious baby, and swept out of the room with her guards.

"Should I be worried that you're so well-versed in lying to our political protectors?" Kurenai wondered as she accepted their payment from Iruka and split it up.

"No, it's fine," Sakura assured her, smiling. "My mom's side of the family is from Iron, so when it comes to pandering to social structure and decorum, it's pretty much in the blood for me."

"You've got ronin blood?" Kiba slid his shades down the bridge of his nose to better accent his stare.

"Pedigree _samurai_ blood," Sakura corrected, stretching her arms above her head as they left the tower and headed down the main street. "Sensei, we were thinking seafood for lunch. Does that sound good to you?"

"Certainly," Kurenai smiled, before shaking her head slightly. "Though you will have to explain how somebody from a samurai backround in _Iron_ ended up marrying a Leaf chuunin."

"Dad's only a chuunin _nowadays_," Sakura explained. "Kind of like a gradual retirement thing. He used to be pretty acclaimed." A slightly naughty smile touched her lips. "If you really want to know, I'm sure _Asuma-san_ can tell you _alllll_ about it."

"…I think I liked it better when the three of you were ineffectually stalking him to see if he met your standards for me. Can we go back to those days?"

"No way!" Kiba shook his head. "I love that guy! He's like the most awesome man in this village."

"If you do not quickly bind him to you," Shino cautioned gravely. "It is entirely likely that Kiba will do so in your place."

"Shut up man, you know it's not like that! He's just…really cool!"

"Putting aside Kiba's budding man-crush on you boyfriend aside," Sakura effortlessly ignored the protests of both Kurenai and Kiba that sprang up. "What was that paperwork you were filling out while we were looking for that cat, Sensei?"

"Well, it _was_ a request for your first C-Rank," Kurenai remarked wryly. "But now I'm re-thinking i—h-hey!"

Kiba and Sakura had jumped onto her, hugging her tightly in the middle of the street. "You are the best!" Sakura laughed, squeezing her tight before letting go and twirling around. "A C-Rank, finally! Oh man, I had almost given up hope…"

Kiba seemed to be fighting down the urge to break into a victory dance. "YES! The day has finally come! Naruto can no longer brag about his super-awesome mission in front of me ever again!"

"I most seriously doubt that we will face a notorious and powerful opponent who is assisting in the oppression of a small nation," Shino remarked. "So he may still have grounds upon which he may continue to 'brag', as you put it."

"Shino's right." Kurenai nodded, straightening her outfit. "The reason I had to put in a formal request is because the process for examining C-Rank mission parameters has been tightened, due to Team Seven's experience. We'll either be given a mission which we should be able to handle without question, or assistance which should enable us to handle the mission without question."

"Still, at least we'll be able to get out of the village!" Kiba was determined to look on the bright side. "And once we knock out the first C-Rank, we can do more, and the more we do the closer we can get to moving up!"

"Sure, Kiba," Sakura smiled at him, warmed by his enthusiasm even if she wasn't quite so certain thath their path would be that straightforward. Nobody went from straight D-Ranks to only C-Ranks. But some variety would definitely be nice.

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**O**

* * *

"Out of curiosity," Onimeno asked her, the next morning. "When was the last time you looked at your own eyes? And I mean _really_ looked at them, not just a cursory glance."

"Mm…" Sakura frowned thoughtfully. "Sensei lets me sleep in when I don't have an appointment to keep, so…a couple days, I guess. Why?"

Onimeno slid away to grab a small hand mirror, which he tossed to her. "Congrats, 719. You have, in my professional opinion, hit your stable stage."

Sakura stared into the mirror, taking in the shape of her eyes that, barring some unforeseen catalyst, would remain for the rest of her life. The small white spikes had broadened out equally, stopping a few millimeters before hitting the edge of her eyes. Each pupil had formed five spikes, leaving the final product with a very…_striking_ sort of look.

"There are stars in my eyes." Sakura's voice was calm and even as she lowered the mirror. "I have _stars_ in my eyes."

"That you do," Onimeno agreed, an obnoxious smirk on his face. "It's pretty, even if you insist on overlooking their effects."

"I am not overlooking any effects!" Sakura insisted hotly. "Believe me, I've been looking out all the time! They just…aren't _doing_ anything! I've tried a bunch of times on Kiba!"

"Sakura," Kurenai scolded gently. "You shouldn't have put your teammate in danger like that."

"He volunteered! And besides, Shino was supervising," Sakura said defensively, as though Shino's participation actually lowered the chances of Kiba being injured. "We were very careful and controlled about it."

"You were very blind, then," Onime shot back. "Your eyes have to do _something_; the chakra paths have settled, and I can see definite indications of recent use. So, whatever they do, they do it when you aren't paying attention."

"Wonderful," Sakura grumbled, slumping down in her chair. "My doujutsu is finally stable, I _still _have no idea what it's actually supposed to do, and later on Kiba is going to laugh himself sick. Because I have _stars in my eyes_."

"Oh, quit the pity party," Onimeno whacked her lightly on the head with his clipboard. "I have to deal with _Patient Number 654_ on a weekly basis now. If anybody in this room gets to bitch and moan about the recent irritations and annoyances that popped up in their life, it's me."

"What's your issue with Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked. It had been weighing on her mind since she had seen them clash, and hearing his very blatant dislike for Sasuke seep into his voice had roused the question once more. "Is it just because of the walk-in appointments?" That didn't seem to be enough to spark this kind of ire, though.

Onimeno snorted in disgust. "Tip of the iceberg, 719. Never liked his fucking clan when they were still scurrying around like rats, and I still don't like them now that most of 'em are dead. You've probably heard that _Patient Number 654 _is supposedly a paragon of his precious lineage. Well, that's bullshit; he's below-average from what the standards used to be, since he wasn't raised with their full training regime. But what he does happen to be is a crystalized version of all the annoying, infuriating and assorted negative quirks of his ilk. Bastards, the lot of 'em." He paused a moment, then added, fairly: "The women were a touch better about hiding it, but the only thing he got from _them_ is his ridiculous babyface."

"Don't hold back," Sakura snarked, even as she mentally reeled back from the vehemence in his voice. "Tell us how you _really_ feel. They were jerks to you, then?"

"I'm _nobody's_ servant," Onimeno hissed, his eyes practically burning. "They never seemed to understand that." After a moment of visible struggle, he calmed himself. "Now get the fuck out of my examination room, 719. You have a mutt to entertain, and I have paperwork to do."

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,702_

_**Total Word Count: **__19,279_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 16,667_

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_And we are officially one-third of the way in, ladies and gentlemen! Sakura's doujutsu is finally stable, so she'll be finding out what it does soon. It will still be frustrating struggle, though._

_Thanks to MoonShadow396, Guest(#1), The Keeper of Worlds, A-Beehive-of-Squirrels, Alyn the Miracle, LadyCalus, Anonymous, Andelevion, blacKStreek, Guest(#2), Lazalie, romantiscue, LadyDream3512, Black-footed, Sasu-Cakes137, minniemousemom, Higanbana.4, Shika-Sha, and musicmiss18 for the reviews!_

_I put up a link to the inspiration for Sakura's sunglasses on my profile, if anyone's curious._

_Catch you tomorrow!_


	11. Chapter 11: Superstition

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 11: **_Superstition_

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**O**

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Ninja, as a rule, generally weren't exactly 'religious'. In most cases, the only God that any of them really held any faith in was the Shinigami. And considering the amount of blood on their hands, they didn't want to attract his attention any more than they were already. The few who were religious were essentially insane, unltraviolent zealots who served Gods of destruction, despair, and so on.

Ninja were, however, not without their superstitious quirks. Team Eight was not an exception.

They didn't have a long list of pre-mission habits, or ridiculous dependence on a given item of clothing. They had small, ordinary little rituals; three and no more than three, that all of them did together.

The first, which they were doing now, in the hopes that today would be the day that their request would be approved: watching the sun rise and slacking off as they ate breakfast and people-watched.

"Keep laughing, Kiba," Sakura beamed as him. "Keep laughing _right off this roof_. Please."

"Stars," Kiba snorted, pounding his fist on the shingles of the tower they were perched on. "_Stars._ That is just… so _precious_. Hey, at least it makes the doujutsu easy to name! You can just call it the Hoshiga—"

"_No._" Sakura hissed darkly, trying to kick him off the building.

Shino had the peace of mind to protect their food, a large fruit tart that they split the cost on. "I believe that would be a tad redundant."

"I don't want to publicize this, Kiba!" Sakura raged, still driving her foot into his ribs as he chortled and clung to the roof with chakra. "Pink hair is enough! Nobody is ever going to take me seriously if I have that _and_ something called the 'Hoshigan'. And don't even start Shino, it's only a good thing in some cases. I don't want that in my future Bingo Book entry!"

"Fine, fine," Kiba caught her foot, still shaking in mirth. "…as long as we don't become a honeytrap team."

"…say goodbye to the roof, Kiba."

"He might injure an innocent passer-by," Shino cautioned. Sakura settled back, but glared at Kiba until Shino passed her a new piece of tart. "It is insulting to Sakura-san," Shino explained. "To suggest that we use her delicate and attractive physical characteristics to draw in enemies for an ambush. I advise you to start groveling."

"…okay, when you put it that way it does sound pretty dickish," Kiba admitted sheepishly. He turned a wide, repentant pair of Puppy Eyes on Sakura, aided by Akamaru. "Sorry. But they are pretty cute."

"Pretty _useless_," Sakura grumbled, glaring down at the street. A grocer carting his wares out passed under her irritated gaze and suddenly tripped, sending his wares spilling across the road.

There was silence.

"You don't think…" Sakura began.

"Try again," Shino advised, cutting himself a new slice of tart.

Sakura scanned the street and settled on a man painting a sign. She tried channeling chakra to her eyes, and a second later he jolted, sending a jagged line of blue across the sign.

"That's pretty bad luck," Kiba remarked thoughtfully.

It was pretty bad luck for the baker, the mother looking for early deals, the Academy student trying to get to school early, and the dogwalker she targeted after that.

"Huh," Sakura mused, biting into the last piece of tart. "Well, that's…something."

"…if I say something about lucky stars, I'll get kicked off the roof, won't I?"

"Most likely," Shino affirmed, gauging the sweet smile Sakura was directing at them. "I would not take the chance, if I had the misfortune to be you."

"Let's go fine Sensei," Sakura said, brushing the crumbs from her hands. "We can grab the other stuff on the way."

They quietly slipped away from their perch, leaving a markedly more chaotic stretch of road behind them.

The second of Team Eight's pre-mission customs was to buy fresh bandages. It was a practical, if sometimes unnecessary practice, but considering just how often Kiba was injured, either through his own actions or the whims of his teammates, it was money well-spent. They had just exited a general supply shop when they were abruptly cut off by the appearance of their teacher.

"We've got a mission," Kurenai said without preamble. "A three-chuunin B-Rank fell through, and we were selected to take it on alongside another jounin. It's an escort heading just past the border to the Land of Lightning, so pack accordingly. We need to be assembled at the Hokage's Tower in forty minutes, so be quick but thorough."

"Yes, Sensei!" The genin chorused. There would be time later to ask why there was so little notice, but not now. They split up, heading to their respective abodes as fast as possible.

The third part of their process remained unfulfilled and forgotten.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"Shit!" Sakura cursed when her compact mirror clattered to the floor and cracked.

"If you need one, the one in your field-kit should suffice," Kurenai said without turning around, fully focused on sealing away the things that they would not immediately need, such as extra clothes and money.

"Right," Sakura kicked it out of the way, focusing on fitting everything else into her standard pack as neatly as possible. "Right, that's great, that frees up space for my wallet, which I need, because I want to eat sometime within the next month. Which is really great."

"Breathe," Her teacher advised, rolling up the storage scroll. "You're fine. We have twenty minutes. It's just an escort mission. It's your first C-Rank. If you forget something, we'll probably be able to buy it or go on without it, or someone else will have it. _Breathe._"

Sakura breathed.

"Good girl." Kurenai bopped her lightly on the head with the scroll. "Besides, you should feel proud. It's because of you we were considered for this mission."

"Me?" Sakura echoed, mystified. "How?"

"You'll see," was all Kurenai would say, tugging at her hair playfully. "Let's get going, if you're finished. It never hurts to be early. Oftentimes, it benefits you."

"Right." Sakura shouldered her pack, pausing to take another deep breath.

They quickly made their way to the Tower, but the new addition to their team was already waiting for them. He was a tall, lanky brunette with his forehead-protector wrapped around his head like a bandanna, a standard flak jacket, and a senbon clenched between his teeth.

_You'll cut your mouth up, kid,_ Sakura thought, recalling the cautionary presentations they had received in the Academy about mishandling weaponry. Chewing on a senbon like a piece of straw had been specifically addressed, alongside sticking a kunai behind one's ear, flipping a shurikin like a coin out of boredom, and other such brilliant ideas.

"Sakura-chan, this is Shiranui Genma. He'll be working with us for the duration of the mission. " Kurenai introduced them.

"I hope we'll be able to work together well," Sakura said, bowing. "I'll be in your care, Shiranui-san."

"Maa, maa," Genma waved his hand. "Just 'Genma-san' is fine, kiddo."

"'Kiddo', however, is not an acceptable substitute," Shino remarked as he slipped inside. "Why? It implies a certain fondness and familiarity that would come off as unprofessional to our clients."

Sakura sighed quietly. Though he was fairly open with the rest of Team Eight, when it came to outsiders Shino often relapsed into his old, closed-off speech patterns. Genma merely shook his head ruefully.

"I'll keep that in mind, Aburame-kun."

"I see no reason why you cannot refer to us with out given names," Shino said, adjusting his sunglasses. "To do otherwise would give the impression that we are not comfortable or at least able to trust one another."

"Aw, cut the guy some slack, Shino," Kiba said as he dashed in, looking a bit harried. "Or at least don't rile him up before the clients get here."

"Are _you_ telling _Shino_ not to argue with someone?" Sakura asked.

"You guys already have a Team Thing?" Genma was impressed.

Kiba puffed up proudly. "We've got the best Team Thing."

Kurenai cleared her throat and they all fell silent. A few moments later the large doors swung open and their clients entered. It was a relatively small group, less than half a dozen men, but the baffling thing about it was that they all seemed to be experienced fighters, albeit ones trussed up in somewhat expensive silks. The mystery was dispelled, for Sakura at least, if nobody else, when the group parted to reveal a young boy, only about eight or nine, dressed even more expensively.

He had large blue eyes, pale skin, and silky black hair that was carefully braided and twisted up. A nobleman's son, or a bastard being brought in for formal adoption, she was willing to bet. Now Kurenai's comment made perfect sense; there wasn't a word uttered within a mile's radius of the Hokage's Tower that didn't reach the ears of the man himself in some form or another.

Sakura was uniquely suited to dealing with nobles, and between her and Shino they would be able to keep Kiba in line as well. The switch from three chuunin to two jounin and a set of genin was also cleared up; they were little more than garnishes, or at best extra insurance; little more than a symbol of status.

Appearance was almost everything in certain circles.

Sakura slid into a neat, deep bow, Kiba and Shino following her lead so fluidly it was almost synchronized. She was suddenly and deeply grateful that she and the boys were all wearing sunglasses. It helped wipe the bulk of their emotions out of their faces, and made them look more respectful and professional. At least in Kiba's case, anyways.

Kurenai and Genma stepped forward to properly greet the clients themselves, but Sakura made sure that she, Shino and Kiba stayed bowed for the time being. This had politics smeared all over it.

It looked like they would have to tread lightly, for a little while at least.

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**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,669_

_**Total Word Count: **__20,948_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 18,334_

* * *

_Sorry for the late update! Busy day today…_

_Someone raised the concern that I was bashing Sasuke in the last chapter. I want to explain that I wasn't; Onimeno has his reasons for holding a grudge, but that probably won't be explained in this story. That's part of the issue with having a daily goal and a plot I need to stick too; there are a lot of backstories and sidestories that get left out. I might complie them in a companionfic or even a sequel in the future, but I'm not sure when._

_Thanks to musicmiss18, MoonShadow396, A-Beehive-of-Squirrels, The Keeper of Worlds, Otakugal, Andelevion, Anonymous, Silver Queen, Anon, QuestSeeker, FayIX, Wandering the Arid Sea, K'nexican, blacKStreek, Sayle, Melody-chii, romantiscue, morpheusandmuse, Twisted Musalih, 100yearsAlbania, CsRB, Black8footed, Lazalie, wintersalad, and__ sumiku agaishi for the reviews!_

_See you tomorrow!_


	12. Chapter 12: Engage

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 12: **_Engage_

* * *

**O**

* * *

The guards seemed attuned to their charge, even if they weren't exactly the chattiest bunch of men on the planet. Whether it was out of a desire not to be shown up by a pack of _ninja_ or the young boy really was in some danger, all of them seemed to be on full alert, eyes scanning the foliage, faces stony, and restricting their conversational skills to affirmative and negative grunts.

It would be a slow trip, considering the wagons and carriage that they had with them. The horses and oxen could only be put through so much in one day, so they settled in at the first town they reached, before darkness had even begun to set in. It was a strange and somewhat irritating change for the genin, who were used to speeding through their missions.

It was a slow process, but it had its own benefits. One of them was that, following this schedule, they probably wouldn't have to set up camp out on the road if they kept following the busier trade routes. For Sakura, it meant that by the time they made it to their destination—a small, rich port just inside the Lightning border—and returned home, her parents would be back and Yutaka would be gone.

Perhaps it was cowardly, but Sakura did not want some grand spectacle of a confrontation. Perhaps it was her latent noble blood, which inclined her to prefer her confrontations either strangled by politesse or kept quiet behind a mask of civility.

Whatever the reason, Sakura did not mind a long mission. She didn't even mind when she was requested to act as a stand-in for their young client's maid. It only made sense, really; the position would be demeaning to Kurenai as a senior kunoichi, Kiba was still not up to par on all his social niceties, and both Genma and Shino gave off a certain aura of intimidation.

"Have you been enjoying your journey so far, Minoru-sama?" She asked politely as she carefully undid the elaborate knots of his belt. "Did you see much of Konoha?"

"…I've mostly been inside my carriage or the rooms prepared for me," the boy replied after a beat that lasted a little too long. Sakura wondered when the last time someone had actually spoken to him directly had been. "But…I saw a little of the street. Your home is…busy."

Sakura smiled warmly, smoothly easing off the first layer of silk and laying it out on the bed. "Yes, it is, isn't it? Always something going on. I grew up with it, but I've been out of the village before so I know what you mean. It's like being in a bustling marketplace twenty-four hours a day."

"Exactly." Minoru perked up a little, his eyes brightening. "That's absolutely it. I couldn't think of what it reminded me of before, but you're right, Sakura-san."

"I try," she demurred, carefully stripping him down to the final layer and then helping him into a sleeping yukata. "Though in all fairness, it's a paraphrased version of something one of my uncles once said; he has a way with words, you see." To put it mildly. Hiraku was a bit spacey, but the man had a sense of diction that could bring the most unrefined ruffian to tears.

"Oh," Minoru started slightly when she picked him up, but relaxed when she merely carted him off to the small bathroom and began wetting a towel to clean his face. One of his guards would help him bathe properly in the morning, but Sakura knew how sweltering a carriage could be on a trip through the Land of Fire.

She smoothed the cloth over his cheeks with gentle, soft motions half-recalled from the servants that had looked after her the last time she reported to the Main House. "Are you excited about heading home, Minoru-sama?"

He hesitated again. "…kind of. I don't know."

She was willing to bet that he had never even been to the Land of Lightning in recent years. Her to-be-claimed bastard theory was gaining more or more support; unwanted but possibly useful children were generally raised far enough away that they could be completely overlooked if ultimately unneeded.

"Well, you'll get a nice sight-seeing trip, if nothing else." Sakura smiled and dried off his face. She received a smile in return for the first time, though it was small and reserved. She set him on the bed, then proceeded to carefully store his rich garments before turning down the sheets.

"Ah, could you…" Minoru fidgeted, then gestured at his hair. Sakura undid the elaborate braid, passively memorizing it so that she could replicate it in the morning. She carded her fingers through the fine, silky hair a few more times than was strictly necessary, then helped him settle down to sleep.

"Sleep well, Minoru-sama," Sakura bid him as she turned off the lamps.

"Goodnight, Sakura-san," the boy returned, already drowsy.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"For the record," Kurenai said skeptically. "I do not endorse this idea in any way, shape, or form."

"They probably had a sensei saying that when testing out all great doujutsu!" Kiba waved her off.

Sakura wasn't so flippant. "…Kiba, most of the forerunners that built up those great doujutsu died of horrible eye- or brain-related injuries." Onimeno had shown her photographs of the more recent attempts, and actual woodcuts of the more legendary misadventures.

"It is not as though we are encouraging you to flood your eyes with chakra until something bursts," Shino pointed out. "Or as if we have never tried this particular tactic before. Danger can elicit very useful responses tat can be duplicated for combat purposes."

"Yeah, and at least we know what it does now!" Kiba chimed in.

"I give you a full day every week to have to yourselves," Kurenai despaired. "A full day, and you spend it trying to kill your teammate. _Genin._"

"Not trying to _kill_ me," Sakura was quick to defend. "Just…you know…enough to spark some sort of reflex? I mean, we have a vague idea of what it is and how it works, so now it's more like figuring out how to do it in the middle of a fight. We're being _prepared_, Kurenai-sensei!"

Kurenai rubbed her face tiredly. "Keep your blows restricted," she instructed. "I don't want this to interfere with the mission. I'll keep a minor illusion up so you can try it without the glasses getting in the way, but if I feel you're getting out of hand I won't hesitate to step in. Are we clear?"

"Crystal, Sensei!" Sakura chirped, carefully removing her sunglasses and setting them aside safely. Kiba followed suit. The lighting was poor, considering that they were trying to be discreet, but Team Eight was well acquainted with fighting from within the shadows.

The three of them dropped into ready crouches. Sakura silently counted backwards from ten, but hadn't even managed to reach six before her teammates blurred into action. As soon as Kiba came in close for a direct blow, she tried channeling chakra to her eyes again, the way she had that morning, and met his gaze directly. It was disappointingly ineffective, however; the impromptu taijutsu spar they fell into was entirely in his favor, marked by his normal, animalistic grace.

They were forced to separate when Shino—or one of his clones—joined the fray. A broad, chakra-laced glance got the Aburame boy to stagger a little, at least, sending one of his kicks veering into Kiba's side.

Sakura frowned thoughtfully and refocused her gaze on Kiba as they fought, then periodically switched to Shino. The results remained the same; Kiba was frustratingly unscathed, while Shino took the brunt of the series of missteps and minor mistakes.

Sakura called a brief time-out. "Kiba, go put your sunglasses on and we'll see if that changes anything."

He nodded and did so, then jerked his head and had Akamaru bound over. "Try it on Akamaru too; maybe you're focusing too hard on me."

They resumed their little combat 'experiment', but the only change they were able to observe was that now Shino _and_ Akamaru were besieged by sporadic bouts of clumsiness while Kiba remained bewilderingly unaffected. Finally, after nearly an hour, Kurenai called them off.

"That's enough for tonight," she ordered. "I'll be switching shifts with Genma soon, and you three need to rest up. We can try working on this some more tomorrow, but the mission takes priority."

"Understood," they chorused. Sakura slid her sunglasses back on with a frown, and the nearly unnoticeable dome of chakra surrounding their makeshift training area evaporated.

"What makes you so special?" She wondered, glancing at Kiba as they quietly made their way back to the inn.

"Perhaps the gods take mercy upon fools," Shino suggested, a slight tinge of resentment coloring his normally bland and disinterested tone.

"Hey!" Kiba pouted quietly. "Rude! Maybe I'm just too awesome for…the thing to happen," he finished, abruptly switching to more vague terms as they entered the apparently deserted lobby.

"It can't be his animalistic tendencies," Sakura rationalized, effectively ignoring Kiba's input. "Because Akamaru-chan definitely wasn't immune to it. And it wasn't the sunglasses, either…"

"We have made a start," Shino comforted his disappointed teammate. "As Sensei has cautioned us, we do not currently have the time to fully devote ourselves to this study."

"Yeah," Kiba nodded as they silently made their way up the stairs. "And besides, we don't have to figure it out all on our own, right? That doctor guy you visit all the time can help us out once we finish this and head home, right?"

"No," Sakura tried not to whine. "You guys don't _understand_. If I don't figure this out without his help, he'll laugh at me, call me a moron, and figure it out in two seconds flat. And then he will lord that over me _forever_."

"I'm certain he would not be so crass as to mock you for your endeavors," Shino said.

"I'm certain you don't know Onimeno-sensei then," Sakura remarked dryly.

* * *

**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,679_

_**Total Word Count: **__22,627_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 20,000_

* * *

_Sorry for another belated update guys! I was travelling most of the day, and finishing up some homework. Hopefully you should expect another update sometime during 'today'._

_Thanks to Higanbana.4, MoonShadow396, The Keeper of Worlds, Black8footed, wintersalad, ChicFreakSistaFierce, Malthinae, Andelevion, Guest(#1), Haze Be It, Ace Clover, Bloody. 5507, Wandering the Arid Sea, Arkeus, , blacKStreek, 13, Kimi-the-writer, Sumiku Agaishi, minniemousemom, Anonymous, flan bridge, Twisted Musalih, Sasu-Cakes137, Guest(#2), kitare, romantiscue, Nothing Gold, LadyCalus, Chibified-chan, Lori, Toreh, Tahari, The Tainted Queen, Lalala, BiblioMatsuri, and Alyn the Miracle for all the reviews!_

_I'm going to go collapse into bed now…_


	13. Chapter 13: Test

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 13: **_Test_

* * *

**O**

* * *

"Answer."

"Servant."

"Vantage."

"Ageless."

"Lesson."

"Sunshine."

"Shiny."

"Kneecap."

"You lose," Shino informed Kiba.

"Bullshit!" Kiba argued. "I totally followed the rules!"

"The rules were that we would keep to two-syllable words, and that each of us would start our word with the final syllable of the word given directly prior."

"Like I said," Kiba insisted. "I _totally_ followed the rules!"

"No you didn't, Kiba," Sakura explained. "Shino said 'sunshine', right? Sun-Shine."

"Uh-huh."

"And then I said 'shiny', starting with 'shine' according to the rules. Shine. Eee."

"Right," Kiba said, "And then _I_ said—oh. Dammit."

"Yes," Shino nodded. "You presumed that she said 'Shy. Nee.' And proceeded accordingly. Which, according to the game, counts as a loss."

"Tch." Kiba kicked at a pebble in his path. "…one more round?"

"Certainly. I shall start with 'shiny' this time. Sakura-san?"

"Ego."

"Gory."

"Ryo."

They were somewhere in the middle of their second week on the road, and the lack of action was beginning to get to them. They weren't going to crack by any means, the way some veterans did in peacetime, but they had quite a bit of energy to deal with and few avenues with which they could deal.

A word game was relatively harmless, and could even work as a semi-discrete code if one of them noticed something amiss. Even the guards, blank-faced and rigidly attentive as ever, didn't seem to mind the small distraction.

Though that might have been because their shared client enjoyed the pastime as well.

"…odor?" Minoru offered unsurely, peeking out of his carriage window. Sakura, who had taken the closest spot, smiled at him warmly and had to check the impulse to ruffle her hand through his neatly arranged hair.

"Dory," Shino said.

"I just had this syllable, yeesh," Sakura huffed, then tilted her head back thoughtfully as they plodded along the road. "…eerie."

"Reading." Minoru cut in again, this time sounding a little more sure of himself.

"I think we can chalk this one up as His Little Lordship's win for the moment," Genma called from somewhere up near the front of their procession. "We're closing in on the next town. Tighten it up, kids."

"Yes, Genma-san," they nodded, slipping into more professional postures. Entrances were very important, especially with a mission like theirs. Depending on the strength of a first impression, their small, somewhat opulent caravan might be considered easy pickings if they didn't look serious enough. Conversely, if they looked too intimidating, the townspeople would be inclined to assume the worst of them and their intentions.

They were greeted with the normal not-so-subtle stares, the calculating glances that slipped to and fro easily enough, the admiring looks from mothers and teenage girls out shopping, no doubt already painting some fantasy of a dashing prince posed inside.

The heavy can of paint, however, was new.

It was Genma who caught it, square in the center of his palm without even looking up. More impressive still was the fact that the lid had been removed. The only thing that kept the paint from sloshing out was a sudden and incredible burst of chakra control. Sakura's admiration at the maneuver, however, died a swift death as the perpetrator swaggered into view.

He was apparently the big bad fish in this busy little pond, just a year or two pat his heyday. What was once apparently a wall of muscle was going to fat little by little, resulting in a slight paunch that ended up being emphasized by his puffed up posture.

"Sorry," he sneered, flashing an unrepentant grin. "Thought you easy one of them fancy-schmancy samurai like your buddies over there. You've got some pretty good reflexes, though; are you part of His High and Mightiness's entertainment crew, like the pretty little thing dartin' round with the real men?"

_So this is what blowhard stupidity looks like_, Sakura realized with the calm, dawning sort of fascination of one who had just seen a drunkard kick a sleeping bear and was waiting with bated breath for the backlash to begin.

It wasn't uncommon for some of the villagers on the richer trade routes, unclaimed by the protective shadow of a shinobi nation, to gain a certain sense of undue arrogance. More often than not, they rarely had to deal with ninja, who preferred quieter, less conspicuous modes of transport. This meant that they had a better chance at bullying tourists and merchants who slipped through their territory. They were all bluster and no bite when compared to trained killers.

Which was why, as Genma slowly shifted his head and the dying daylight caught on the metal insignia denoting his loyalty, the braggart's smile froze in place and the color gradually drained from his face. When Kurenai brushed her hair out of her eyes and sent him a smile that could crack marble, Sakura could _see_ his Adam's apple click in fear.

"Well," mused Genma, the metal sliver jutting from his mouth and catching the light. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think I've ever been what you could call _fancy-schmancy samurai_ material. My reflexes are more than enough to get by with, though," he smiled companionably and pressed the can of paint against the man's chest so firmly that he slid back a few inches. "Even without a long sword."

And just like that, he strolled past the larger man. "Mm, we might want to keep moving after all, Milord," the shinobi said at a rather indiscreet volume. "We do have a schedule to keep." It was a lie, but also a wise decision; a village where a man like that had the confidence to waltz right up to a noble's guard—even if he vastly underestimate the firepower of said guard—was more likely than not a village that would look the other way during a late-night robbery.

Through practice and a vicious sense of humor, all three genin were able to turn their heads toward the older shinobi and nod in unison, though Sakura could tell that Kiba was absolutely dying of laughter on the inside. It was a creepy trick, considering how blank the three of them looked with their glasses, but it definitely had its merits.

Like how it made the previously puffed-up man shiver and subconsciously twitch his fingers into a sign to ward off evil. Year, even months ago such a reaction from a random civilian might have hurt Sakura's feelings. But this man was a boor of the lowest degree; He meant nothing to her, except a minor unpleasantness that would soon vanish from her life.

Until, that is, he either tapped into some deep-stored well of courage or his innate fight-or-flight instinct backfired on him and he charge toward Genma.

Now, Sakura knew very well that Genma could handle himself, and more than likely could take the attacker even if he was half-dead, three sheets to the wind, and suffering an extreme concussion, and would win without breaking a sweat.

But Sakura was also a very curious girl.

So she turned her eyes on the slow (to a shinobi at least) attacker and channeled chakra to her eyes again. What happened next was a memory that she would look back on with a mixture of pride, embarrassment, and a pivotal moment for the lives of her and her teammates.

Ther man's leg twitched slightly as he ran, causing a spasm of muscle that sent him tumbling off course, he ultimately tripped and rolled into a nearby fruitstand, sending produce rocketing outwards. Some apples got underfoot of two men lifting a heavy box, and said cargo promptly went straight through a nearby shop window. From there the damage rippled outwards, leaving a groggy braggart at their rear and an infuriated public slowly closing in on him as the caravan continued its way forward.

"It isn't biased to intelligence-level," Sakura murmured to Shino as they shifted their position to a tighter formation. It had been one of Shino's more caustic suggestions, but disproving even that much was still one step in the right direction. When Kurenai turned a reproving gaze upon them, they treated her to an innocent, blank look that might have worked had Kiba not finally succumbed to laughter after they had passed the outer limits of the village.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"I'm raising a Sabotage Squad," Kurenai mourned quietly as she and Genma went about setting traps around the perimeter of the campsite they had made for the night. "There are _jokes_ about this sort of thing. _Bad_ jokes that even Ibiki smirks at. I never thought it would happen to me."

"That's what they all say," Genma snorted, clapping a reassuring hand on her arm. "Don't look so glum; it's not the end of the world. It's just that your student's most destructive and diabolic tendencies are probably going to be encouraged and actively nurtured in the years to come."

"Have you _met_ Shino?" Kurenai asked. "I'd prefer the end of the world. At least then I wouldn't have to wonder if every major political or economic blow-up for the next four decades is inadvertently my fault."

"Oh, now you're just trying to be over-melodramatic." Genma rolled his eyes and wove a wire trap. "There's no way you weren't at least considering it before today."

"No," Kurenai corrected him. "My _students_ are over-melodramatic. Mark my words, this was a dark day indeed; I wouldn't be surprised if they're trying to figure out how to create even _more_ chaos with a single misstep."

"How did they manage that, by the way?" He wanted to know. "I mean, I wasn't exactly giving the lump my full attention, but I didn't notice any of them move, or even the chakra residue from an Aburame's subtle vengeance." That was the common name for being swarmed by chakra-leeching insects.

"That's their secret to tell," Kurenai demurred, disguising another seal-array trap. "I'm certainly not going to spread their strengths around. " It would be incredibly rude of him to even ask, if she thought for a moment that he had been remotely serious about the question. A ninja's techniques were their lifeline, and keeping them close to the vest could mean the difference between a field casualty and a sorely needed escape.

_Especially_ for Sabotage Squads.

Kurenai technically had the power to keep Team Eight from choosing such a dangerous, covert line of specialization. But she would not use it; for one, they would never forgive her for interfering when she assured them time and time again that the matter was completely their choice.

And second of all, she was far to loyal to the Leaf to deprive it of what she felt could someday become an incredibly important asset, especially considering the uneasy détente the Hidden Villages had fallen into since the last war.

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**O**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,802_

_**Total Word Count: **__24,429_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 21,667_

* * *

_And finally, a somewhat more timely update!_

_Thanks to newtonslaw, Ace Clover, MoonShadow396, musicmiss18,Sumiku Agaishi, minniemousemom, Anonymous, ChicFreakSistaFierce, Wandering Crimson Sage, Wandering the Arid Sea, The Keeper of Worlds, QuestSeeker, terrorofthehighway, Anbu-chan, romantiscue, Dermonster, eirame, DarkAngelLilithX, Guest, Andelevion, and Alyn the Miracle for all the reviews! Your support really does mean a lot to me._

_I can't believe we're closing in on the halfway-point soon…_


	14. Chapter 14: Awkward

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 14: **_Awkward_

* * *

**O**

* * *

"So, writing to your friends already?" Kiba asked, when Sakura was too far away to discretely discourage him. She closed her eyes and banged her forehead lightly against Shino's shoulder as they brushed down the horses.

"I've never had any friends before," Minoru told the ninja with a horrible sincerity. "So no. And Mother says that until father is rid of his current wife and marries her, I am not allowed to contact her. These are merely for calligraphy practice."

"…oh." Kiba cleared his throat uncomfortably, aware of how big a blunder he had made, even if the younger boy seemed blissfully unaware. "Uh, well, that's good too." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around the rather empty campsite. Their teacher and her partner were somewhere out in the woods, but the main force of guards had left to hunt for game.

A stilted silence settled.

"I cheated at Jan-Ken-Pon," Kiba suddenly blurted. "The guilt is killing me, so I'm going to take over for the animals. You stay with the client Sakura." And then he scurried over, tail between his legs as he accepted the angry cuff that was his due.

After one last glare Sakura handed him the brush and made her way over to where Minoru was seated in his now open carriage, a portable desk set before him. "My teammate is an idiot," she said, half in apology and half because it was, as she and Shino agreed, essentially fact.

"He's honest, at least," Minoru said politely, as though Kiba hadn't come up with the most bald-faced lie to escape the awkwardness he had caused by putting his foot in his mouth. _All_ ninja cheated at Jan-Ken-Pon.

"Mm," Sakura said neutrally, sitting down beside him. "Are you and your mom…close?"

"…I would not say so," Minoru said, frowning thoughtfully at the character he had just drawn. "She cherished me, as I was an undeniable connection to Father, but it was always…"

"Distantly smothering?" Sakura finished for him, lightly running her finger across the rich paper to show him where one of his strokes wasn't quite slanted enough. "Impersonally selfish?"

"…yes." Minoru blinked up at her, his blue eyes wide and amazed. "Exactly so. I…even before Father wanted me, Mother was obsessed with making me into the perfect heir. I was not permitted to play with other children. She told me that they were not my peers—they were below me." His grip tightened on the ornamented brush before he wet it and tried again on a fresh sheet of paper. "They were fit to be servants, she said. But I could not lower myself. Father might _disapprove_."

"In my experience," Sakura said slowly, dangling her legs from the carriage. "Most noblemen _do_ spend their youths playing around with servant boys. That's how they choose their vassals."

"Mother always had these _thoughts_ in her head," Minoru said quietly, his hand and voice steady. "Of what I should be, and what would happen in the future. Not 'should' happen—_would_. There were no other options, to her."

"You think otherwise?" Sakura asked, glancing at him with unseen sympathy.

"…Father's wife is very healthy," Minoru said. "And the rumor that she was barren has been floating around since she was a girl. He had to have known. But he married her. He's been married to her for years. I…I think Mother is going to be waiting alone for a very long time."

Before she knew what she was doing, Sakura's arm was raised to draw him into a hug, the way she might for one of Akemi or Tubaki's children if they had gotten scared in the middle of the night. Her brain caught up with the unprofessional move, though, and her arm returned to her side just as she heard the guards return. No matter what her personal feelings might be, no matter how she might identify with him, she couldn't blatantly breech protocol to comfort him.

Her fingers curled into a loose fist as she rose to give one of the guards her spot and moved to rejoin her teammates, who had since moved on to tending to the oxen.

Minoru's eyes followed her for a moment, thoughtful.

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**O**

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Days later, they ended up stopping at a nice, flourishing hot springs resort.

"Can every mission be like this from now on?" Sakura asked wistfully as Kurenai gently washed her back. "Please? I haven't gotten this much of a vacation since Tsutomu-oniisama got officially declared clan heir two years ago."

"You mentioned something like that," Kurenai noted, finishing up and gathering their towels as they made their way to the ladies' pools. "Is he one of the cousins older than you, or younger?"

"He's the eldest of our generation," Sakura explained. "Only a few years older than me. It was a bit weird, actually…but recently, I'm wondering if the reason Sofu-sama waited so long was to see if I would stick with being a ninja or contest the claim."

Kurenai stared. "I…wasn't aware that was a possibility."

"Well, I'm the firstborn's firstborn. In Iron, as long as you have the right blood, an 'honorable' nature, and marry well, you can definitely inherit." Sakura shrugged as she slipped into the water. "I never really thought I was in the running, or wanted to be, but I could have probably claimed precedence, if I had Sofu-sama's backing." She had plenty of time on the road, and had done a lot of thinking recently on her family and things she might have missed. Thinking of herself as a possible heir-candidate—and Hideki's supposed 'favorite', though she still wasn't entirely certain that was true—cast an entirely new light on her childhood.

It was a bitter feeling, but all Yutaka's support, all his subtle and not-so-subtle methods to nudge her and his sons together, painted a rather different picture. Even his at the time innocuous questions about her love life, questions he had brushed off as teasing, took a darker tone. A marriage to one of his sons would give Yutaka much more political sway and prestige as the father-in-law of the current Clan Head than he currently had as merely the third son of the current Head.

Sakura blew out a sigh, which frothed the hot water as it bubbled to the surface. Then she sat up, so her head and shoulders were out. "I don't really enjoy talking about it," Sakura admitted, looking over at her relaxed teacher.

"Then don't," Kurenai told her, smiling kindly. Sakura fidgeted and looked away. The loss of her sunglasses made her feel more naked than the loss of her clothes. It was irrational, since Kurenai had been with her to almost every single appointment she had ever scheduled with Onimeno, but she couldn't help it.

Kurenai seemed to sense some of her discomfort and the source, and placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You shouldn't let your uncle's words weigh on you like this. We both know you're better than that. Than _him_."

"I just…" Sakura sighed. "My mom was brought up the same way as him, you know? Him calling me…_that_ might not matter twenty years from now, but…but if _she_ does too? I…I don't know if I could handle it, Sensei."

"If I recall correctly," Kurenai said, "And I believe I do, as I _did_ ask Asuma, your mother essentially ran away from home to marry a ninja. _And_ she managed to wrangle out your grandfather's blessing sometime before the wedding, to the point where he could actually be adopted into the clan. And you can't forget, Sakura; she's lived in Konoha for even longer than you have; she remembers a time when the Uchiha clan ran the police force, and more likely than not saw them in action and saw the prestige they had."

"She might have found it a bit too close to what she had left behind," Sakura tried, though it was merely an attempt to grasp at her last few pessimistic straws. Haruno Mebuki was a stubborn, forthright woman, a woman who stuck to her morals and didn't judge anyone on anything other than their choices and actions. She had even been nice to Naruto in a casual sort of way when he was younger, though she had grown cooler and sterner towards him since he had begun unleashing village-wide pranks.

Yutaka had always been fixated on appearance; he always told Sakura how pretty she was, how much prettier she would become, bought her pretty things and so on. His honeyed words had been a balm to her, during the years when she had been tormented for her hair color and her forehead. Ino had never seemed to like him very much, and it had been one of the first things they had ever quarreled about, long before Sasuke had ever entered the picture.

Hindsight was 20-20, she supposed, and she leaned back against the rocks surrounding the spring with a rueful smile. "You're right," she admitted. "Mom probably won't take issue with it. And if it can be carried on, Dad will be thrilled to have something better than bizarrely dominant pink hair to tag on to the family name."

"I did wonder about that," Kurenai murmured, ducking her head sheepishly. "You really got it from your father?"

"Dad likes to say that all the really dangerous things in life are brightly colored," Sakura said with a shrug. "Also that people only ever make the mistake of underestimating you because of it once on the battlefield. And just once."

"Your father sounds like a very interesting man," Kurenai noted.

"Did Asuma-san tell you _that_ too?" Sakura teased, before her grin grew fond and bashful. "But yeah…he's the best. Well, when he's not telling horrible jokes, but I think most dads are like that, in Konoha at least. We love him anyways."

"I'm sure you do," Kurenai agreed, sitting back as a companionable silence descended.

"…do you think Genma's let Shino kill Kiba yet?"

"I'm certain he would do no such thing, but it's…"

"Quiet."

"Yes."

"_Too_ quiet?"

"For their continued health and well-being, I pray that is not the case."

"Oh, they won't peep," Sakura said with confidence. "I'm absolutely certain of that."

"Oh?" Kurenai raised an eyebrow. "And why, exactly, would that be?"

"Simple." Sakura raised her hand and extended a single finger. "One, Shino knows very well what my common response to perverts is, and not even his colony can take that sort of beating. The costs aren't worth the benefits." A second finger went up. "Two, Kiba knows that I wouldn't hesitate to rat him out to his sister and mom. And then he would be killed or neutered in his sleep or something equally unpleasant." A third finger went up. "And that brings us to three, which is that if anyone _else_ over on that side tries to peep, Shino and Kiba will _destroy_ them."

"…you raise some very good points," Kurenai conceded.

A moment later they heard a door slide open and the expected chatter of the boys, marked here and there by a low grumble from one of the guards, a sigh from Genma, and the soft, high inquiries of Minoru. Sakura and Kurenai shared a look, then laughed.

"Am I going to be like this all the time?" Sakura asked, rubbing a hand over her face but still grinning despite herself. "Pessimistic and assuming the worst when things are peaceful?"

"No," Kurenai shook her head, a strange undertone tagging on to her smile. "No, you think of the worst, prepare for the best, and then you do your best to handle anything and everything that comes in between."

Though she had a sneaking suspicion that, in the years to come, Sakura and her teammates would be the cause for that feeling for many, many unfortunate enemy shinobi. They were a potent, volatile mix, but Kurenai knew they would go far.

She was warming to the idea more and more each day, but knowing that someday they would be thrust into a position where the village would neither support nor save them if they got caught was a difficult pill for any teacher to swallow.

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__2,038_

_**Total Word Count: **__26,467_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 23,334_

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_Another slightly late update…sorry! Also, for readers who are just now catching up and haven't looked at the earlier author's note, __**this story is updated once a day, everyday, for this entire month.**__That means all of this is posted as soon as I write it, with no editing, and when November ends, so will this story. Timeline wise, it won't really hit the Chuunin Exams. There isn't really going to be a 'pairing'; this is a story about Sakura dealing with a twist in her life. Also, she will be twelve throughout the story. I'd rather not write out a romance for a twelve-year-old, killer-in-training or otherwise._

_I probably will write a sequel, or a sidefic, or drabbles from this universe that I didn't have time to put in the main story. And I will definitely be going back to rewrite and edit this story. But I don't know when; I still have quite a while to go with Where the Heart is, so who knows when I'll get around to everything. But I promise, I will. There's just too much backstory to go through to clarify everything for me __**not**__ to._

_And we're still not to the halfway point yet!_

_Anyways, thanks once again to Aaron Nowack, Guest, Lazalie, Ace Clover, eirame, sumiku agaishi, Haze Be It, blacKStreek, Ynnah, Wandering the Arid Sea, InARealPickle, Chandagnac, MoonShadow396, Angurvddel, Guest(#2), musicmiss18, romantiscue, Nothing Gold, Andelevion, Toreh, mir, Higanbana.4 for the reviews. And especially thank you all for the feedback and mistakes you guys find the time to tell me. When the Era of Editing rolls around, these will definitely be taken into consideration._

_Well, see you all next time, when we hit the halfway point!_


	15. Chapter 15: Hands

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 15: **_Hands_

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It is difficult, even for the coldest and hardest of hearts, not to develop some sort of tender feelings for another person when they are with you day in and day out for roughly a month. Sakura was not made of ice, so this fact applied to her as well. Despite her best intentions, her interactions with Minoru slowly grew less professional. It wasn't so great a change that Kurenai felt the need to step in, but sincere fondness in the place of polite civility wasn't very difficult to notice.

Minoru soaked it up like a sponge, quietly basking in her attention and offering his own reserved regard in return. Even as the day they would cross the border to Lightning and part ways loomed closer, the two seemed to only be growing closer.

It wasn't bad to form friendships with future foreign nobles, so Kurenai let it go. Separating her emotions from the mission wasn't something Kurenai expected a green genin like Sakura to perfect on her first C-Rank, especially with such a young client. Genma thought it was cute, and Shino and Kiba didn't really care one way or another; Sakura had explained her predilection for cute and delicate things before, and Minoru suited those tastes perfectly.

The guards, if they had an opinion, did not voice it. They didn't even shoot disapproving looks, but she supposed trained warriors didn't especially care about the social life of a child as long as they succeeded in delivering him safely.

Gradually, Sakura had started to linger in the young client's room at night after settling him in. It was generally marked with small things, little stories about silly things her teammates had done, little tips on how to act when presented in court that you picked up with time, what the weather was like in Konoha at different times, and sometimes something as simple as a fairytale as a bedtime story.

"You're favoring your wrist," she noted a few nights before they would reach the boarder. "Is something wrong?"

Minoru shook his head, comfortably braced by a thick stack of pillows she had arranged. "No, it's just a little stiff and cramped. I was practicing my brush strokes for too long."

"Well, it's not as though you have much else to do in there all day," Sakura said sympathetically. "Here, I can probably help a little. Give me your hand?"

Minoru blinked at her, then after a moment tentatively placed his hand in hers. She flipped it over and placed her thumbs strategically on the muscles of his palm before slowly and gently beginning to massage the taut muscles. Maintaining one's hands was one of the most crucial lessons for a shinobi. A finger cramp at the wrong moment could spell death for an unfortunate ninja, or at least grievous injury. This sort of attention was a very tender, trusting thing for two shinobi to do, as they were literally leaving their most effective weapons vulnerable to someone else.

Sakura could feel his bones as she worked over his hand, smaller than hers, and knew almost precisely just how much force she would have to use to snap them like dry twigs. It would be so easy, and he wasn't even flinching away. He knew what shinobi were, what she would someday be, and he merely sat there, docile as could be, with a small smile on his face as his eyes slipped shut. It was a very warming thought, even if it meant he was probably underestimating her.

"You've got some pretty heavy-duty callouses here," Sakura noted, rubbing a thumb over the toughened bands of flesh.

"Sword training," Minoru explained sleepily. "Mother said…said it was expected of me…" He yawned. "And…other training too. Training all the time…everyday…"

Sakura thought on that. For a while, slowly lightening her ministrations more and more until she slipped his hand out of hers completely. He didn't stir, apparently lulled to sleep, and so she sat for a long moment, musing in silence. There had been callouses that fit the hilt of a sword for a boy his size, but many others besides. While his palms were superficially pristine, her careful touch had unearthed near-invisible scars, scratches and callouses that weren't unlike her own father's warm, leathery hands, rough hewn by a lifetime in the village's service.

Despite the somewhat legendary rivalry purported between ninja and samurai, it wasn't exactly uncommon for select bands of shinobi to swear their loyalty to a noble. Supposedly, that was one alternate theory as to how the Hidden Villages formed under the Daimyo scattered across the continent. Sakura had never been explicitly informed, but she was almost certain that her grandfather had a band of shinobi sworn to him and disguised as normal retainers.

The loyalty bred into those types of ninja was ironclad, in the best case, and obsessively sycophantic at worst. It wouldn't be impossible for a kunoichi to fall in love with her lord and bear him a bastard. And it was instinct, almost, for a ninja to teach their child how to defend themselves to the best of their capability. Kizashi had taught Sakura how to break a pervert's hand around her fourth birthday, before she had even considered voicing her resolve to follow in his footsteps.

Letting out a long sigh, Sakura slowly shook her head and stood, carefully tucking in the younger boy and turning down the lights. It was speculation at best; Minoru had mentioned bits and pieces of his life with his mother, but never enough for her to form solid conclusions about the type of life they lived.

She paused in the doorway and looked back at the small figure curled up under the thick covers. A moment later she continued moving, nodding genially to the guard who slipped past her to take her place.

She didn't see the half-cracked, completely unbleary blue eye that watched her go.

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**O**

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Two nights later, when they stopped just short of the border to Lightning so they could finish the last leg of the journey the following day, Minoru stopped her before she could leave.

"Will you stay?" His voice was soft, and for the first time since she had met him, there was a pleading note in it.

Her brow furrowed. "…you mean for the night? I'm not sure that would be appropriate, Minoru-sama." Even if he was a couple years her junior, he was still a client, and a boy. However improbable, the wrong idea might seep out.

But Minoru shook his head. "No," he hesitated slightly. "In…In Lightning. Will you stay? With me, I mean."

Sakura felt a heavy weight slam down onto her shoulders, and slowly sat back down on the edge of his bed. "Minoru-sama…I'm very sorry, but I can't do that. I have to go home."

"You could make my home yours," he offered insistently. "They would be happy to have you there. I would make sure of it, I promise."

Sakura reached out and ran her fingers through his hair with a sad, resigned smile. "It doesn't work that way, Minoru-sama. I have a family back in Konoha, and I can't just abandon my team."

"You could get a new team," the boy tried. "And…and _we_ can make our _own_ family."

"I can't," she said again, shaking her head. "For more reasons than you know." Even if it didn't seem to do anything grand or awesomely devastating, she had a doujutsu, and the village knew that. Perhaps, years and years ago, it would have been a negligible loss at best. But in a Konoha that had a vacuum that had been left by the abrupt annihilation of one of its main doujutsu-forces, every little advantage was treasured and nurtured. That was part of the reason why a viciously strong combat-type like Onimeno was based in the hospital instead of the battlefield.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, before reluctantly pulling away and standing. Minoru didn't attempt to stop her again, so with a heavy heart she left the room, barely nodding to the guarg as she walked down the hall to the large room she shared with Kurenai, Genma and her teammates.

She trudged past Shino and Kiba wordlessly, despite their worried looks and questions, and clambered out of the window. With a quick application of chakra she was on the roof, sitting next to her teacher. Slowly, she tipped sideways until she was leaning against the older woman.

"I'm an idiot," she mumbled. "Even more oblivious than _Kiba_."

"No," Kurenai sighed and raised an arm, hugging her. "No, you just care. It's better that you learned that it can be a curse as much as a blessing now, rather than later."

"Shinobi Rule Number 25," Sakura cited with a touch of bitterness. "Is that 'a shinobi must never show emotion.' They make it sound so easy, on paper. Like…like there's just some sort of _switch_ that you can flip, and then you can forget that you're a person, and so are they."

"You can develop one," Kurenai told her, gently stroking her hair. "With time and effort. Many people do. If you want, I can help you…but only if you promise me that you'll never let that switch get stuck. You're a ninja, yes, but you're still human. You still hunger, and want, and love. It's what you are. I never want you to forget that completely, even for the sake of a mission."

"…yes, Sensei," Sakura said quietly.

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**O**

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The next day saw a much more subdued party. They got through the border with very little fuss, and were soon very rapidly approaching the place where they would part ways. Sakura was, as always, closest to the coach, even if it was filled with a sad, sullen silence instead of Minoru's soft, slow chatter for once. It made her heart ache a little, but it was for the best, she supposed.

She was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she very nearly missed the way Genma stiffened from his position ahead. She caught it just in time, though, and dove into the carriage to tackle a very bewildered Minoru just seconds before an explosion rocked outside and the carriage was sent rolling.

She hugged him tight to her chest, curling her body around his as best she could as they tumbled around inside the lavish cart. A few heavy boxes banged into her, cracking one of her lenses and leaving her a little dizzy.

She could, dimly, hear the sounds of a fight outside, and felt Minoru shake in her arms. She tightened her grip, and tried to say something reassuring, but before she could the door to the carriage was ripped off and a smoke bomb of some sort was dropped inside. She struggled to straighten up, to tell Minoru not to breathe in too deeply, to do _anything_, but disoriented as she was she could do little more than succumb to the gas, her vision growing dark.

Her final, slightly loopy thought before darkness claimed her was that Kiba would be disappointed that he had missed the opportunity to crack a joke about her seeing stars.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,862_

_**Total Word Count: **__30,191_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 25,000_

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_And we have officially hit the 50% mark! _

_Well, completion-wise, at least. I'm doing pretty good on the word-count front!_

_Because the question came up, let me make this clear: Sakura's family in this story is completely separate from the one she has in Where the Heart is. In The Eyes Have It, I took Mebuki and Kizashi (her __**canon**__ parents who weren't publicly known of when I started WTHI) and gave them backstories. In Where the Heart Is, I created my own designs for her parents._

_Thanks to Haze Be It, MoonShadow396, DarkAngelLilithX, The Keeper of Worlds, Alyn the Miracle, Guest, Wandering the Arid Sea, blacKStreek, sumiku agaishi, minniemousemom, Ace Clover, Anonymous, Chandagnac, romantiscue, Twisted Musalih, BiblioMatsuri, Andelevion, Angry Paradox, Higanbana, and DangoDaikazaku for the reviews!_

_See you all next time!_


	16. Chapter 16: Strangle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 16: **_Strangle_

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No one, not the Hokage, not the Legendary Sannin, Not the Sage of Sixth Paths, _no one_ was invulnerable. This was a lesson that Academy teachers strove to impress upon their students at every turn. While one couldn't live in fear, it was similarly inadvisable to live without it.

Ninja were not superhuman, just because they used chakra. This was another fact the teachers tried to cram into the students' heads, to varying levels of success. With heads full of legends and dreams of grandeur, most of the genin-hopefuls never really _thought_ about it. Not really, or as seriously as they really should have, at least.

Not until The Visit.

The Visit came sometime in the second-to-last year that a student was in the Academy. They would be taken, away from their peers, and accompanied one of their instructors down into the bowels of the Torture and Interrogations base—or at least, a temporary base that could be used for The Visit. And then they would sit down, and look through a big glass window that only went one way.

And they would watch.

And watch.

And _watch_.

They would have to watch until the end, when the interrogator got everything that they needed out of the captive, no matter how much they were crying or how violently they got sick. They would watch right up until the end, when everything of use was torn from the captured enemy, and then they would watch even more blood spill as the light finally—mercifully—left those broken, blank eyes.

Only then were they allowed a reprieve. After they had collected themselves, their teacher would lead them off to another room, and ease them into a chair.

And then the chains, the horrible, deathly cold, chakra-sucking _chains_ would snake around their wrists and ankles. And they would thrash and panic, and look beseechingly or in betrayal, and be met with a smooth, calm face. Sometimes even a reassuring smile. Then, after their struggles had grown weaker and weaker, after the chains had choked the fight out of them and left them limp and sluggish, the teacher would get up and leave the room.

The chains made it hard for the student to think clearly; the teacher could have been gone minutes, could have been gone hours for all that they knew. But the teacher did come back, eventually, with a small syringe filled with a very small measure of something as clear as water.

They would put the needle to the large vein at one of the student's elbows, and pushed. The student, drained as they were, couldn't fight or even scream as the liquid burned through their veins. The teacher would remove and clean the syringe, slowly and carefully, and would then watch the student for a while, still not saying a word.

And then, after a long moment, the teacher would begin to talk in a quiet voice that seemed to echo throughout the room.

They told the student that their previous ordeal was the standard procedure for capturing an enemy in the field and, if they had been transported back to an enemy village, what would come next after the chains and the light paralytic—just enough to make the student too clumsy to work a way out of the chains—would either be drugs tailored to make them tell the truth, merciless mental-excavation genjutsu, traditional physical methods of 'persuasion', or various other disturbing and horrifying avenues.

They would then carefully undo the chains and pick up the student, carrying their trembling form out of the room and to a waiting medic-nin, who would begin flushing the paralytic from their systems and chasing the chains' after effects away. The teacher would continue to talk, continue to hammer in the fact that the student was not perfect, or infallible.

One wrong step, and they could find themselves in this position. In the position of the prisoner they had watched break and shatter and spill.

Some students, mostly from among the civilian-born ones, ended up dropping out after The Visit. Sakura hadn't, even though the experience had chilled her down to her very core. It had nothing to do with Sasuke; not really, at least. Sakura was a Haruno, a member of a clan named after the most bittersweet season in the ever-chilled Iron, a clan that prided itself on their resolve, honor, and passion.

Sakura had made her resolve. She was a child of Iron, forged in Fire, and steel, she assured herself, would not be broken easily.

When she began her appointments with Onimeno, she did not get a repeat of The Visit. She got something much worse: footage that a spy had received from a facility that abducted children with doujutsu and blood-limits, generally around or approaching puberty.

The things she saw scared her on various, primal levels, reminded her that she was just so much flesh and blood and energy. And unlike The Visit, she wouldn't ever have a chance to back out or find a safer life. Her eyes marked her as a possible acquisition to a foreign village desperate for any new weapon, might mark her children and her children's children.

She had to swallow that, and with Kurenai's help she did. Without the older woman's guidance, Sakura wasn't sure she would have been able to beat back the terror and apprehension into something compartmentalized and manageable. She was able to master her fear, even faced with the certainty that capture, for her, would not end in something so kind as death. Not for a hellishly long time, at least.

So when Sakura swam back into consciousness and found herself in a dark room, with metal wrapped around her wrists and neck that had choked the flames of her chakra into little more than smoldering embers and a dull pain at one of her elbows, she knew _exactly_ how much trouble she was in.

The only things that kept her from sinking into despair were the fact that she could see the faint outline of grain sacks and barrels, that Minoru was still with her, bound with rope and limp across her lap, and that she still was wearing her sunglasses. Whoever had snatched them had likely shoved them into this little bolthole and fled to escape the rest of her team, or at least draw them away.

They would be back, however, and by the time they did Sakura would have to be ready.

Sakura took a deep, quiet breath, looked down at Minoru, who was beginning to stir, and re-forged her resolve and courage. She couldn't panic, not in front of him. So she would be calm, and she would do what she did best: she would think. She would think as fast and as thoroughly as she could, use up every last drop of her cunning to get the both of them out of this and alive.

Sakura wasn't invulnerable. Not by a long shot.

But then again, neither was whoever made the mistake of capturing her.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,175_

_**Total Word Count: **__31,366_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 26,667_

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_So, short, smaller-than-usual chapter today; sorry. For the lateness, at least; I covered everything that I wanted to in this chapter._

_Thanks to Ace Clover, eirame, The Keeper of Worlds, blacKStreek, sumiku agaishi, BiblioMatsuri, romantiscue, Wandering the Arid Sea, Guest, Anonymous, MoonShadow396, ChicFreakSistaFierce, and Wandering Crimson Sage for the reviews._

_I'll see you guys next time!_


	17. Chapter 17: Lullaby

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 17: **_Lullaby_

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Sometimes, after a long, tiresome day or when she was stuck in bed with a fever, Sakura half-dreamt, half-remembered being held and sung to. She couldn't remember the words for the life of her, couldn't remember who was singing, other than the fact that it was a deep, male voice. She thought it might have been her father, but he wasn't one to burst into song out of nowhere (without the dubious aid of alcohol, at least, and then it was loud and off-key) so she couldn't be sure.

But that song made her feel warm, and safe, and Sakura cherished it.

She was channeling it now; trying to absorb and release the security it had always offered her.

"It'll be okay," she assured Minoru, who had awoken and was, at her request, trying to keep calm. "I won't let anything happen to you. Trust me." It felt like the edge of her resolve was an executioner's blade her own neck, a little, since she wasn't entirely certain she could keep that promise, but she would do everything in her power to make sure the boy could get away safely.

Minoru let out a quiet breath, and the trembling in his shoulders evened out a little. "…I know," he said, and if Sakura's arms were free she would have hugged him for all she was worth. "We…we will be okay."

Sakura was glad he was still looking down, and missed her wince. She didn't have the heart to explain just what the odds of her coming out of this situation 'okay' were.

"I need you to shift up a little, okay?" she prompted him gently. He complied, and with great difficulty (and a very sore jaw), she managed to loosen the knots on his wrists. The exertion left her completely exhausted when added to the smothering drain of the chains. She was very, very lucky that their captor either had a soft spot for children, or was simply in a rush, because the knots on his wrists were the main ones in the binding; the ropes slipped away from his arms with a bit of shrugging, and Minoru was fully freed.

"Shall I get yours too?" Minoru asked, making a move towards where her arms were twisted up behind her.

Even with her mind addled and her body sluggish, Sakura managed to scrape up the energy to jerk back. "No!" She softened her tone at his bewildered, slightly hurt face. It was the first time she had ever raised her voice to him, and yelling wasn't going to help this situation. "…sorry. But you can't touch what they bound me with, okay? It sucks out your chakra—your energy. But," she hurried to say, seeing his face fall slightly. "If you really want to help, you can talk to me. I need someone to keep me from falling asleep."

"Okay," said Minoru. He shifted so h was leaning up against her, and Sakura could feel his frame tense and tremble, as if he were fighting down the urge to cry. "I…I made my first friend ever recently," he began. "She is older than me, and she lives far away, even though I want her to stay with me forever."

"Sounds like a troublesome situation," Sakura said, blinking back tears.

"Yes," Minoru said quietly. "Because I am not her first friend."

"I don't think she's friends with _her_ first friend anymore," Sakura smiled self-deprecatingly. "Or at least, not a very good one." If she got out of this mess alive, she wore that she would mend bridges with Ino as best she could. The last words she had ever spoken to the blonde were a hurt-fueled instruction to 'grow up' when Ino had tried to make a 'may the best kunoichi win' statement in regards to the Sasuke race. It was childish, and Ino couldn't have possibly known that Sasuke wasn't an option for her anymore, but she hadn't been able to keep herself from lashing out.

Sakura didn't want that to be the last thing she would ever say to Ino in this world.

"She has other friends, though," Minoru mumbled into her shoulder. "Friends that are more important."

"Not more important," Sakura corrected him. "Just…friends who need her. You can't go through life with only one bond to support you, you know?" And her bonds were deeply rooted in Konoha, with clans and teachers and grumpy, prickly doctors who cared more than they wanted to admit.

"…I have a brother," the boy said, surprising her. "An older half-brother. That is how I know I will not see Mother again; Father claimed him too, because his wife wants children, even if they do not come from her. I have never met him but…but I would have at the port. And…and he's around _her_ age, so…"

"You thought you might have a way to keep her with you," Sakura finished, actually having to swallow down a laugh. It was ironic; considering a similar plot from Yutaka made her feel sick and used, but hearing it from Minoru just made her feel sad and fond. "Or at least, give her another bond."

"I do not want her to forget me," Minoru said. "I do not want her to forget and then look at me like everybody else does instead of the way she usually does."

"And how's that?" Sakura asked gently.

"Like an enemy. Or a tool." Minoru hesitated. "She looks at me like…like I am just a child. Nobody else has ever done that before."

Sakura's heart ached. "I can promise you she will keep doing that." She swore, to both him and herself. She knew that exact feeling; not only as a shinobi but also as a member of the Haruno Clan. She knew how precious that sort of look could be; it was half the reason she had been so terrified to tell her mother about her eyes. That was another thing she resolved to change, should she escape this ordeal with her life and body intact.

Haruno Mebuki was not a delicate, maidenly flower. She was a rebel and a tomboy, born and bred. She was a woman who eloped with one of the Faire Daimyo's Twelve Guardian Ninja, a noblewoman from the Land of Iron; she went into that union with both eyes wide open when it came to the type of world her lover was entangled with. She knew that she had married, bedded, and had a child with a man who had killed before, and quite probably during their marriage.

Her mother stood by her, and was _proud_ of Sakura for her dedication and progress. She adored her daughter for not faltering on her chosen path, and never looked at Sakura in disgust or despair. They fought sometimes, but that was to be expected; Mebuki had passed her own stubbornness on to Sakura, which resulted in willful clashes that more often than not were over ridiculous matters and ended in laughter when they realized that.

If she got home, Sakura vowed, she would tell her mother _everything_, use that stupid little illusion to show her every single stage her eyes had gone through. She would even drag her mother off to see Onimeno and have him give her all the lessons he had given Sakura, gruesome and distressing as they could be. She wasn't sure the two would mesh well at all, but Sakura's mother would not accept being left in the dark any longer, and Sakura thought Onimeno might respect that if nothing else.

Minoru shuddered against her, breaking her from her thoughts. "I really want to keep her," he said, sad and soft. "I really really do, but she will not stay. She will not stay, and now she is hurt, and—"

"—and she'll be okay," Sakura cut in, nudging him with her shoulder. "She's a little weak, and maybe a little scared, but…she'll make sure you're okay. And she'll keep in touch, once both of you are where you belong."

"How can I trust that?" Minoru added, and there was a layer of accusation that startled her. "How do I know you are not just going to say that and then leave and never think of me ever again?"

Sakura was silent for a long moment. "You can trust me," she said at last. "Because I'm going to trust you with something. Take off my glasses."

Minoru stiffened slightly in surprise, which was completely understandable. Over the course of their time together, Sakura had never once removed her glasses; she even slept with them on, not wanting to chance having to fight in the middle of the night and having her secret exposed. Even when he had asked her too, when she was readying him for bed and tucking him in, she had politely refused.

Slowly and a bit hesitantly he moved from her side to kneel in front of her. Sakura was successfully able to quash the instinct to jerk her head back as his hands rose to the frames of her glasses. He carefully pulled the cracked frames away and Sakura opened her eyes with a weak smile. "Tada," she murmured, too tired to make a joking spectacle of it the way Kiba might have, had he been present.

There wasn't much light in the storage space they had been stowed in, but there was enough that while Sakura doubted the boy could have determined the exact color of her eyes, the large stars were blatantly obvious. Sakura had so little chakra circulating through her system that she didn't feel that Minoru was in any danger from her doujutsu's effect.

After a long, long silence during which Minoru just _looked_ at her and Sakura's heart had begun to prickle in dread, the boy looked down. "You look much prettier without these," he said quietly, and Sakura couldn't be sure, but she thought his ears might be a little pink..

Sakura's shoulders shook with relief and the urge to giggle. She leaned forward to press a kiss to her bowed head, pulling back with a tired smile. "That's sweet of you to say. This is a secret though, okay? Only you and a few other people know about these eyes now."

"…really?" Minoru peeked up shyly. He reluctantly slid her glasses back into place, after one last long glance at her eyes. "A secret?"

"Only my very closest friends know," Sakura affirmed.

"…and you will write?"

"If you send an address to the Hokage's office, I definitely will," Sakura promised.

"I will tr—" He yawned, before shaking his head with a scowl. "I will trust you, then."

"You've done enough," Sakura said gently. "I feel much more awake now. You should rest." She didn't feel very alert, truthfully, but Minoru had likely been drugged as well, and without a medic-nin on hand the only cure was to sleep it off. He looked as though he might protest for a moment, but was cut off by another yawn. He reluctantly nestled into her side again.

Sakura began to hum, following a melody that had always meant safety to her, and kept going even after Minoru's breathing had slowed and evened out. Deep in her memory, a strong, deep voice accompanied her and alleviated some of her fear.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,871_

_**Total Word Count: **__33,254_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 28,334_

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_Hey guys! The Internet was out at my dorm for the past few days, and I just got it back. So, double update! I don't stop writing, just because I can't post._

_Thanks to Haze Be It, Sumiku Agaishi, Wandering the Arid Sea, Sin Piedad, romantiscue, MoonShadow396, Own, terrorofthehighway, Anonymous, morpheusandmouse, Twisted Musalih, Anime-girl-next-door, Andelevion, peoplehateme101, The Keeper of Worlds, Kraziibunny11, ReddishPanther, eirame, Netag Silverstar, GeshronTyler, and BiblioMatsuri for the reviews!_

_Sorry for the technical difficulties, guys. But __**Chapter 18**__ is ready and waiting, and 19 should be up within the next 24 hours too!_

_Catch you later!_


	18. Chapter 18: Believe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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_NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 17: LULLABY**__, GO BACK AND READ IT!_

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 18: **_Believe_

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Sakura remembered, with painstaking clarity, sighing over stories of derring-do and envying the princesses and other leading ladies who would, without fail, be rescued by handsome, powerful men. Her uncle Hiraku had obliged her childish tastes; weaving tales in his lyrical, hypnotic voice that left her with sparkling visions of happily-ever-afters and glittering, fated romances brought to full bloom. He always seemed to enjoy spinning the stories for her.

She remembered asking, with rosy cheeks and a heart full of a cool, dark haired boy, for a tale here the hero was named after her crush and the heroine waiting to be rescued was modeled after her. She had been bewildered and even a little hurt when he had flatly refused.

"_That's a cruel thing to ask of me, Sakura-chan,"_ Hiraku had said, swirling the tea in his cup idly as he stared out into the garden. _"Far too cruel. For an author, our imagination is a world unto itself. Why would you ask me to visualize my cute little niece in dire straights for any amount of time?"_

Despite her reminders that it would all work out in the end, as his stories always did, he childishly refused to even consider her request. Looking back on it now, and with her own imagination up and running, Sakura thought that there was quite a lot that Hiraku had dreamed up for his stories that never made it to the delicate ears of his young niece. Those sugary stories had implications she had never paused to consider, implications that were chilling and sad and made her _think_.

And somehow, their tragedy-tinged happiness only made them all the more beautiful.

Perhaps it was the chains, or perhaps there was something mixed in with the paralytic, or perhaps it was the possibility of a fate she personally considered to be worse than death hanging over her head, but Sakura found herself appreciating her life and the people in it far more than she had previously.

Ino, her parents, her non-Yutaka relatives… Sakura could admit, here in the dark with naught but a scared, drugged little boy and silence for company, that she hadn't been the easiest person to care for. Or even deal with. It all seemed so petty, in retrospect, and she would gladly grovel for forgiveness if she had the opportunity. But, looking back on her life, there were more than just regrets. There were victories, and choices that she would stand by until the end.

She wasn't sure what she did to land herself on a team with Kiba and Shino, for example, but whatever it was it was one of the greatest things she had ever managed to accomplish. They were infuriating, sometimes, especially Kiba, but they also had moments of incredible, wonderful sweetness. They actively made her a better person; neither would hesitate to call her out if she was being spoiled or unreasonable, just as she wouldn't think twice about smacking Kiba upside the head for being inappropriate or talking Shino out of some unnecessarily vindictive plot.

They _worked_ together, and if tomorrow her life went completely to hell, she would treasure her memories of her time with Team Eight until her very last breath. She was _happy_ with them, happy in a way that she didn't think she could have been with any other combination.

Being on a team of any composition that included Sasuke would have just been a cruel, painful joke. Naruto would have annoyed her daily with his compliments and requests for dates, even as she tried to seriously better herself. Hinata…well, Hinata would have actually been fun to have on a team, though it wasn't common for two kunoichi to be put on the same team. With how they clashed in the Academy the past few years, Sakura sincerely doubted any sane person would place her on a team with Ino.

Chouji, from what little she knew of him, was a sweet boy, but with little willpower in the face of a more outgoing teammate. She doubted they could have pushed each other to be better the way that Team Eight managed to bolster each other to new heights. And to be on a team with Shikamaru sounded like it would be pretty annoying at times. But a team composed of, for example, Shikamaru, Shino and herself was a bit terrifying to consider, thinking back on the fates of the boys who had once ostracized Choji for his chubbiness.

And the thought of having any other teacher was nigh unthinkable. Asuma wouldn't be a bad alternative—he had firmly won Team Eight over during their brief period of surveillance, and besides, he was a friend of her father—but from what little she had heard of him, Hatake would have been a nightmare to deal with. Sakura was nearly fanatical about punctuality; she had always been taught that it equated to respect, and having a teacher who wouldn't respect her would either drive her insane or into depression.

Or at least, that was what it seemed like from her perspective. She didn't have the energy to even try and convince herself she wasn't biased. Kurenai was hers, and so were her boys, and thinking of _them_ in any other configuration put a sour taste in her mouth.

But that possessiveness was not only present in her, and she knew it well. It was obvious in little things; the way Kiba casually refused to tell Naruto where she was when he wanted to ask her out, the way Shino came up with new and special little ways to ruin Yutaka's day that he thought she didn't know about, and Kurenai's constant presence at her appointments with Onimeno.

She was theirs and they were hers; that was the core basis of team loyalty. Ninja lived lives that, in many cases, were cut short. So they clung tightly to the things and people they found that made life worth living, and gave them a reason to keep going forward on their blood-soaked path.

At this moment, Sakura was disgusted that she had ever dreamt about sitting around waiting to be rescued. Being this powerless was a disgusting, terrifying feeling, and Sakura never wanted to feel so useless ever again. The only thing keeping her focused, however, was the rock-solid belief that her team would come in time; she just had to protect Minoru until they could catch up.

Her team was tenacious, and possessive, and a horrible combination when crossed. She wasn't sure about Genma, since they were still only acquaintances after their month of travel, but she seriously doubted he would be deadweight; he was a jounin, after all, and Kurenai trusted him. Though she was frustrated with her lack of options, and knew how easily her situation could go south…

Sakura believed in her team.

They wouldn't leave her in the lurch, let alone Minoru. She knew that, the way she knew the sky was blue and her hair was pink. They were every bit as stubborn as she was, and she knew she could count on them.

Sakura took a deep breath, and scanned the dimly lit room once more. It was getting darker, so she could see even less, and if there was an easily accessible exit she wasn't positioned in a way that made it easy for her too see it, and felt too drained and sluggish to move around to look. It took her a moment, but she finally noticed a slight tickling sensation.

It moved across her scalp, then down the side of her neck, and across her shoulder. It disappeared, then, and there was a small buzz of wings before a very familiar black bug floated up in front of her nose.

"_A __female kikaichu can be left on a target, which then can be tracked by its scent by the males, or scouts can be sent out and return with information about the surrounding area," _Shino had said, months ago when they were arguing the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a Tracking Team.

Sakura's mouth curved into a weak, incredulous smile, and she actually laughed. "Shino, you paranoid creep," she murmured quietly. "I'm going to kick your ass for putting a bug in my hair."

In the distance, or possibly out of fatigue, she heard a long, furious howl.

Her smile grew.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,396_

_**Total Word Count: **__34,650_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 30,000_

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_NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 17: LULLABY**__, GO BACK AND READ IT!_

_Thank you all for your patience!_


	19. Chapter 19: Lost

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 19: **_Lost_

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Kiba had been further from the carriage when the ground exploded, behind and to the right of Sakura, and he barely had enough time to throw himself and Akamaru out of the way. He slid in the dirt, and when he saw a dark figure dart after the tumbling vehicle it took him a moment to shake off the shock and connect the dots. He glanced around, catching a flash of white as Kurenai darted after their client. Genma was no where in sight, so he and Shino quickly caught up with their teacher.

She was standing in front of the carriage, which had crashed against a tree and was belching smoke. Kiba had to stop short, swaying on his feet from the fumes wafting his way. Kurenai made a hand-seal and the smoke funneled upwards. Kiba shook off his dizzy spell and leapt for the carriage, ripping off a door without waiting for an order.

His stomach dropped abruptly as he stared into the lavish, empty interior. "Shit," he breathed, horror creeping up. "Sakura."

"She may have escaped with Minoru-sama and gone into hiding from the assailant," Shino said quietly, but Kiba knew it was a defensive mechanism to keep them from panicking immediately. Shino was many things, but an optimist he was not.

They turned when they felt a displacement of chakra, and found a particularly grim-faced Genma. "The guards are gone," he informed them. "And it was one of them who set off the explosion. We've been set up for something."

Kiba's hands clenched into fists. "I thought they were looking at C-Ranks more closely!" he growled. "How did they miss half a dozen shinobi?!"

"This isn't the time to lash out," Kurenai said sharply, and Kiba reluctantly settled down. After a moment, her voice softened. "I'm upset too. But you have to understand that it really isn't an exceptionally difficult task to mask a chakra signature and act like a samurai. The worrisome part is that their paperwork was legitimate, or a nearly identical forgery that could fool even our experts."

"You believe they may have been backed by nobility," Shino noted.

"…assuming that Minoru is actually who he was portrayed to be and only a victim, it could be an attempt from a rival of his family."

"Oh man," Kiba exhaled harshly, raking his hands through his hair. Minoru's part in this…Kiba sincerely hoped the boy was innocent, because if he wasn't, and if he had deliberately dragged Sakura into danger, then Kiba would have to make his first kill a kid, and that might leave a bad taste in his mouth for a little while.

"Are we dealing with missing-nin?" Shino asked, interrupting a near-silent conference between Kurenai and Genma.

Their teacher sighed, and looked at them seriously. "I wish I could tell you yes, but honestly I doubt it. Kumo is still in a political upheaval right now; the council of Kumogakure frequently clashes with the current Raikage; they promote a much more militant and in some ways anarchist agenda. The last time they violently clashed that we know of, the Hyuuga Debacle happened."

Kiba bit back a wince; every clan heir knew _that_ story inside and out. He swallowed. "We can't just leave her."

"We won't," Kurenai promised. Something dark and primal glowed behind her eyes, and Kiba's inner-dog perked up, sensing a hunt. "We just need to pick up a decent trail, and Genma needs to send off a report, to both the village and our supposed-client."

Kiba sniffed, then reeled back with a grimace. "I can't smell a damned thing," he admitted gruffly. "That gas is pretty pervasive."

"I have a general direction," Kurenai said, staring hard into the trees. "But that can only get us so far."

They turned when they heard a low, furious buzzing and saw a thick cloud of insects flow out of Shino's jacket. "I have taken measures for eventualities such as this," he informed them. "The trail is faint, due to the gas, but t is tangible enough that my colony can lead us to them."

Kiba wracked his brain for an explanation that made sense, and after a moment his jaw dropped. "Dude…you put one of your girl bugs in her hair? She's gonna kick your ass, man."

"As long as she has the faculties and health required to perform such unreasonable punishment," his friend admitted. "I shall welcome it."

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Shino knew that he was not exactly the paragon of kindness. To be more blunt, he could be incredibly cruel, derisive, and outright mean. He could get away with it by muting the emotion from his voice and hiding most of his face. It kept people guessing, and they were always so loathe to assume the worst of him, which he thought was patently ridiculous.

After all, he never hesitated to assume the worst of everybody else. It was only fair that they had the opportunity to return the sentiment.

Shino, as a rule, was not an understanding or forgiving individual, which made it difficult to form and sustain bonds with the other members of his age group. Shino had not missed the company during his early childhood—insects were far more interesting than boys who wanted to tackle each other in the mud and girls who shrieked at the creatures he and his family coexisted with. However, he knew that such a social reprieve could not be maintained if he wanted to move forward with his career.

Konoha was a village that placed exceptional emphasis on teamwork and interdependency. Other organizations like Mist or even Grass took a more clinical approach, weighing pros and cons and costs and benefits. Permanent teams were very rare.

A year ago, Shino would have been quietly supportive of that sort of system. He had more than enough teamwork with the insects living in his body; undue attachment, he had been certain, would only negatively impact his performance.

Looking back on it from where he stood now, he felt a substantial degree of derision for his past self, though his previous oversight was entirely understandable. It was difficult to understand, from a purely logical standpoint, how Team Eight had not devolved into a free-for-all slaughter. Their personalities were not tailored to suite each other. They had not been raised to work together. Kiba was brash and rude and thoughtless, and Sakura was self-centered (although, admittedly, far less than she once had been), vain, and a chronic worrier, and Shino himself was blunt, had a taste for vengeance, and more often than not took his grudges and petty hurts a bit too far.

But through some strange, unthinkable twist of fate, they managed to fit into place together, and more than that, fall into a system of checks and balances that actually benefitted all parties involved. These days Shino only had fleeting thoughts of smothering Kiba in his sleep, and he would actually give quite a bit to see a little more of the old Sakura's mostly unfounded arrogance.

The current Shino was not the same one who would rather skulk in a library or a garden instead of socializing; the current Shino didn't have that _choice_ anymore. He was always being yanked this way and that, by a casual arm slung around his neck or slender fingers wrapped around his wrist in a deceptively gentle manner. He was no longer just a haven and a master, a student and a son. He was a part of something entirely his own, and it was exhilarating and bewildering and…

Wonderful.

Shino did not consider himself to be a conventionally 'funny' person. Finding people who not only enjoyed his warped sense of humor but actively _encouraged_ him to stoop to new lows was a shocking discovery. It was immature and unbecoming, but they had whole days where they did nothing but fill the air between spars with bratty words and barbed phrases. They could mock each other on levels that would be unacceptable to most people, and end in laughter.

But the moment someone else so much as slighted one of them, the other two would rear up with all the fury of a raging summer gale and half the mercy.

Kidnapping went slightly past that. As they followed the trail his insects had picked up—and he mentally congratulated himself on his excellent foresight, even if it _was_ more likely than not going to result in a large bruise eventually—he glanced at Kiba. The wilder boy was clenching and unclenching his fists, eyes burning with some monstrous, beastly light as they darted through the trees. While normally Shino might have let a snide comment fly over his head, this time he let the urge pass.

There were certain things, in Konoha, that one simply _knew_ never to do. One was call an Akimichi fat. Another was to underestimate a Nara. When the Uchiha Clan was still alive, it was completely taboo to mistreat cats. Only a fool would call the honor of the Hyuuga Clan into question.

Poaching from Inuzuka territory, it went without saying, was flat out suicidal. Their bestial nature only augmented their naturally protective behavior, creating a potent backlash of concentrated fury. Kiba was at least able to focus on the situation at had; Shino had heard whispers of berserker blood that would have needlessly complicated the situation.

There was a cautionary saying about the Auburame Clan as well; they never forgot, rarely forgave, and if you were lucky and prayed very, very hard, their vengeance would be swift and they would disregard you afterwards. Shino felt his colony lock onto the wayward female he had planted on his wayward teammate, and felt the pettiest, most vicious part of him roil up and crystalize into a stubborn resolve.

When he found out just who was responsible for this mess, his vengeance would not be swift, and they would not fall to the back of his mind. He would not forget, and if there was so much as a scratch on Sakura…

Well, forgiveness was never going to be an option. But he'd find a way to be even nastier about paying the culprit back tenfold.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,700_

_**Total Word Count: **__36,350_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 31,667_

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_And Here we are, at Day 19 already. Man, time sure does fly…_

_Thanks to Wandering the Arid Sea, The Keeper of Worlds, eirame, Netag Silverstar, MoonShadow396, Ka, BiblioMatsuri, Sumiku Agaishi, Andelevion, morpheusandmuse, minniemousemom, Anonymous, Gasanechi, romantiscue, x-marks-the-spot1974 and wintersalad for the reviews!_

_See you all tomorrow!_


	20. Chapter 20: Found

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 20: **_Found_

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Sakura, even with her senses dampened as they were, felt the presence racing up before she heard the unseen door get kicked in. Kiba was never good at subtle, and while Sakura might have despaired at that in any other situation here and now she was simply overcome with relief. A tired smile slipped across her face, more out of reflex than to reassure the now awake and extremely startled Minoru.

Instead she scraped together what little of her strength remained and tried not to cough on the dust Kiba's frantic entry sent billowing up. "O-Over here," she said, but Shino was already sliding to his knees beside her hands hovering in an uncertain manner that didn't suit him at all. She would bet all the money in her account back in Konoha that behind his glasses his eyes were flicking over her, cataloguing every bruise and rumple in her outfit, trying to draw up a tally of the damage she suffered and the reprisals he would dole out in response.

"Beginner's Visit," she said, and a small amount of the tension wiring through his frame melted away. It was a simple code common enough in genin ranks: chakra-draining chains, some sort of addling drug, and nothing else, yet.

"Your mouth."

Sakura blinked, and then realized that her stinging, bruised lips might be leading him to an…_unfortunate_ conclusion. "Minoru-sama was bound with rope," she hastened to explain, as the rest of their team crowded in. Kurenai gently lifted Minoru up off of her student, balancing him on a hip and giving Sakura her own once over. "If I had the chance I was going to make him run, and I can't use my hands so…" She shrugged. "I worked with what I had."

Genma knelt down and tilted her forward until she was pressed against his chest. She didn't have the energy to push him away, and she heard a warning growl in stereo, but the jounin merely set about deactivating the chains and unwrapping them from around her neck and wrists. A shudder rippled through her when he pulled away, and she probably would have face-planted onto the dirt floor if her teammates hadn't suddenly been _there_, bolstering her up as her chakra began to thrum through her body the way it was supposed to.

It was a rush, like tasting air after five minutes underwater, and a giddy, tired grin grew on her face. She straightened up when she had the strength, and they shifted back. For a moment the three of them just stared at each other, two of them wearing shades (though one pair was chipped and cracked), and the third still a little wild-eyed.

Then, very calmly and with as much force as she could muster—which wasn't very much, but enough to sting—Sakura reached out and slapped Shino across the face.

"That was for putting a bug in my hair," she told him, before leaning forward to hug both of them as tightly as she could in her current state.

"And this?" Kiba asked as he folded an arm around her waist and Shino briefly pressed his palm to her shoulder blade.

"For coming to save me," she said when she pulled away, before Akamaru, feeling neglected, leapt from Kiba's hood to her arms. She cradled the puppy close as the boys helped her stand, bracing her between them until her legs stopped trembling enough for her to walk. Her steps were still heavy and uncoordinated, thanks to the drug swirling around inside her system, but she could move.

"Orders?" Shino asked Kurenai then, though his head seemed to be angled towards Minoru.

Kurenai and Genma both seemed to have pensive frowns in place, but before they could answer, all shinobi in the cramped, broken storage shack tensed. Six high chakra signals were zooming in on their position, each one vibrant and leaking killing intent.

"Out of the shack," Genma said tersely. "We need as much mobility as possible."

Sakura gripped her teammates shoulder as they exited, filled with impotent self-disgust at this poor timing. She was still essentially useless; she didn't have the necessary dexterity for hand-seals, and her chakra levels were still far too low for more than even just one of the basic Academy jutsu. She felt Shino's hand fist in her jacket as Kurenai put Minoru down and assumed a protective position in front of him. Genma slid a hand to his weaponry pouch, and Kiba readied one of Akamaru's pills.

An instant later, the six figures of the fake guards rocketed into the clearing, each leaking killing intent.

And then things abruptly stopped making any semblance of sense.

The fake-guard who had appeared to be leading the formation parried a rain of kunai from the other five. "You're being insane!" He yelled, sliding out of the way of a kodachi strike to the neck by a hair's breadth. "I'm telling you, it was the Leaf-nin! They set the explosion, and the girl went after our charge!"

Sakura felt her mouth drop open in fury, but none of the other enemy(?) ninja seemed receptive to the fraudulent explanation, so her enraged silence wasn't damning, at least.

"Give it up, Satoru," One of the other five spat, tightening his grip on the two katana in his hands. "Or at least come up with a halfway decent lie. You're enough of an embarrassment to our village as it is."

Which meant they _were_ Kumo-nin. Or…at least some of them were, and one apparently was trying to talk them out of forcing him into missing-nin status. Or…something. A migraine throbbed at Sakura's temples, the likes of which she hadn't experienced since her doujutsu first started it's splitting stage. She was drugged and drained and it felt like they had stumbled into a drama halfway-finished, after all the twisting social entanglements had been explained in detail and were now only assumed.

"Everything I have done," Satoru thundered angrily, "I have done for the sake of Kumogakure and its people!"

"But not its Raikage," one of the Kumo-nin added with a grim smile, twirling his with a deadly sort of nonchalance. "And nowadays, we call that sort of go-getter attitude 'treason', Sato."

Satoru grit his teeth, a bit of wildness creeping into his eyes as he took in his less than favorable situation. There was a flurry of motion and another explosion, and Sakura found herself essentially dog-piled about seven feet to the left of her previous position, under two boys and a dog. When Sakura squirmed her way back up to her feet, she and her teammates were met with a chilling sight.

Kurenai was crouched by a scorched circle of earth, nursing a wiked burn on her bicep and forearm. Genma was forced to a standstill, because Minoru had wound up in the desperate traitor's clutches, a kunai pressed threateningly against the young boy's jugular.

"Fine," Satoru hissed, inching backwards. His eyes were much wilder now, like a dog backed into a corner. "Fine, call me treasonous. Trust the Leaf scum. But if this brat doesn't make it out alive, then there will still be some who doubt those tree-hugging monkeys. Even if you kill me for it, I'll be able to serve my true master to the end!"

"Ah," said Minoru, in a voice that was entirely too calm and with a face that was entirely too blank for the situation. "Thank you, Satoru-san. You have finally given us a proper, indisputable confession. Shi-san, if you would be so kind?"

Satoru barely had time to absorb the implications of those words. Horrified understanding was just beginning to dawn in his eyes when he suddenly stiffened, before going limp. As he tumbled to the ground, the handsome, blond-haired youth behind the fallen traitor slowly lowered his hand and pasted up a polite smile. "Interrogation will be very happy that he's so eager to talk about his master. They do so love the chance to clean house."

"Shi-san," Minoru piped up, smoothing down his mussed clothing. "The target has revealed his true intentions. If you would be so kind, I would appreciate being unsealed."

"Of course, Eichi-san," Shi said with an ironic sort of smile, but Sakura wasn't thinking about that. No, her thoughts were riveted on that name.

_Eichi_. Not Minoru.

She watched, detached, as Shi went through a rapid flurry of hand-seals and placed his hand on the younger boy's head. Abruptly, the color seemed to gradually drain upwards, and if Sakura squinted she thought it almost looked as though there was a flood of kanji draining up towards the older boy's palm. When the last of the inky color Sakura had always assumed to be Mino—_Eichi's _natural haircolor disappeared, two things happened.

One, _Eichi's_ hair turned out to be a pale shade of blond that matched Shi's perfectly.

And Two, Eichi's chakra levels abruptly spiked, enough that she could feel Shino's colony buzzing furiously and Akamaru's hackles raise. She had felt levels like that before, certainly, but only from her father's jounin friends when they didn't bother to mask it or when Kurenai wanted to show them what a serious opponent would feel like. But she had never felt anything like that from someone younger than her.

Eichi shook his head once, blinked, and then promptly muffled that disproportionate chakra. Sakura let out a slow sigh and desperately tried to remember what it felt like when things actually made sense. She thought she felt the younger boy's gaze on her, but by the time she looked back he and the rest of the Kumo-nin were securing their prisoner and Shi was calmly making his way over to Kurenai, keeping his posture open and peaceful.

"I am a medic," he said, holding his arms up. "As you were injured in the course of our operation, I at least owe you treatment, if you'll permit it."

"What you owe us," Kurenai told him, even as she carefully stood and offered him her arm. "Is an _explanation_."

"Of course," Shi agreed amiably, after a nearly unnoticeable glance back at Eichi. His palm glowed green and he began to very slowly run it over the burns. "As you might have gleaned, we had reason to believe that he was following orders that were not from Raikage-sama. While normally even that much would be enough to take him in for further questioning, it was likely that he would kill himself before we gained anything of worth. So, we were given the task of narrowing down exactly whose tune he's been dancing to.

"There are…certain factions entangled in the upper echelons of our government, factions left over from the previous administration. These factions are generally categorized by which villages they actives refuse to negotiate or deal peacefully with. Konoha was not the first of the Hidden Villages we hired for a supposedly 'high-profile' mission such as this."

"You wanted to see who he would actively try to sabotage, then," Genma caught on, his eyes narrowing. "

"Just so," Shi admitted easily, respectfully stepping back once he had finished healing Kurenai. "We did, of course, discreetly notify your Hokage about the true nature of our mission, and raised the payment accordingly."

"Wonderful," Genma muttered, teeth gritting around his senbon.

"Sakura-san was put through the standard field incapacitation process," Eichi said abruptly, but when Sakura glanced at him again, he seemed more concerned with rearranging his lavish clothing into a style that afforded him a greater range of movement. "You should tend to her as well, Shi-san."

"Of course, Eichi-san," Shi nodded, that ironic little smile springing back up;. Sakura realized, with no small amount of surprise, that _Eichi_ was the commander of their group. She looked at Shi thoughtfully, looked at the resemblance to Eichi, and wondered.

Shi made his way over to the cluster of genin, pausing and patiently ignoring the toothy, protective snarl directed his way. Sakura pinched Kiba hard, then Shino for good measure, and stepped forward.

"If you would be so kind as to show me where the injection site is? I'm afraid I'll actually need to make physical contact." Shi was extremely professional in his phrasing, but his smile seemed a bit less so. Sakura noticed, now that he was so close, that the blond was actually quite handsome. Blatantly so, actually, and around her age as well.

She also heard a low growl from behind her, and stomped down on a foot without looking. "My left elbow," She said, extending her arm. "Kiba. Shino. Sensei probably has new orders for us. You should go listen to them. Now." After a pause, she added. "And you too, Akamaru-chan." There was a reluctant rustle of movement, and then three warm fingertips pressed into the aching crook of her elbow and her attention was otherwise occupied.

It had been a long time since Sakura had needed medical chakra in her system, but it was just as cool and gentle as she recalled, tingling slightly, like the taste of mint turned tactile. On a whim, she let her eyes drift away from the attractive medic treating her and glanced at Eichi from behind her glasses without turning her head. His attention was fully focused on the pair of them, intense and apparently searching for something.

"…_I have an older brother,"_ Minoru had said. _"…and…and he's around __**her**__ age, so…"_

"_When constructing a persona for a mission,"_ Kurenai had told them, months before. _"You put a certain amount of yourself into it, to make the act natural. There's a danger of investing too much, but you do what you have to for the sake of the mission."_

_Stupid, lonely kid,_ Sakura thought, and a small laugh bubbled up. Something must have leaked into her expression, masked by her glasses as it was, because for just a moment Eichi looked relieved—and she could once more see the Minoru in him.

"Tickles?" Shi asked, with the knowing tones of one who was all too used to it.

It did tickle a little actually, but Sakura just shook her head as the tingling chakra gradually purged the drug from her system. "No, it's just…It's been a really long day."

Shi nodded and made a noise of understanding. When he had finished with the drug, he moved on to healing the slight bump on her head from the carriage tumble and then the bruises from where the chains had been tightly wound around her wrists. This he did without skin-on-skin contact, and though she was still mourning the impossible dream of Sasuke, recovering from being held prisoner, and surrounded by foreign ninja in a foreign country, Sakura was still enough of a preteen girl to have to fight off a pout.

He finished, then eyed her for a moment. His smile turned just a bit more unprofessional, then he was leaning in and tilting up her chin, quickly running his thumb over her bruised lips and leaving a tingling rush of chakra in his wake before pulling away and strolling back to his comrades.

Sakura turned and mechanically walked over to her own group. "Not a _word_." She said, all too aware of the fact that her cheeks were hot and pinker than her hair. "If you really have to, save it until we get home and I can beat you through a post." Kiba wisely closed his mouth, huffing slightly. Genma turned his laugh into a rather unconvincing cough.

Sakura ignored him, instead turning her attention to her teacher.

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**O**

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"I feel used," Kiba said pensively, about a week later as they closed in on Konoha.

"Appropriate," Shino nodded. "Since we all were."

"It was technically above board," Sakura defended weakly. She couldn't muster much more than a token argument, however.

"It's like, I know that it was all technically above board but…I still feel kinda dirty." Kiba rubbed the back of his neck, nearly missing the next tree branch he was meant to use as a springboard.

"Being a shinobi isn't exactly the cleanest of careers," Kurenai sighed. "And something tells me that this is far from the most convoluted plot this team will get tangled up in."

"Was that a challenge, Kurenai-sensei?" Shino asked, with notable interest.

"Ooh, it did sort of sound like it to me," Kiba agreed. His grin was all teeth.

"Challenge accepted, Sensei," Sakura told the older woman primly. Kurenai groaned audibly, and Genma began laughing so hard that _he_ nearly missed the next branch. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the massive gates of their village were looming up ahead of them. Sakura smiled.

She had really missed her home.

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__2,787_

_**Total Word Count: **__39,137_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 33,334_

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_And here we are with Chapter 20! Tomorrow marks the beginning of the final ten chapters. Thanks for sticking with me for so long, guys. I really appreciate it._

_Speaking of appreciation, thanks to The Keeper of Worlds, Arkeus, Higanbana.4, Haze Be It, peoplehateme101, Anonymous, MoonShadow396, Andelevion, LadyDream3512, DangoDaikazaku, eirame, Yuuki-hime, wintersalad, Wandering the Arid Sea, Netag Silverstar, Ka, minniemousemom, Alyn the Miracle, DarkAngelLilithX, cuilan argo, romantiscue, and Bdonahue._

_At this point, it' really a test of willpower to keep me from just starting on the sidefic/sequel to this story right off the bat. There are so many things I want to go in-depth about, but I either don't have the time or can't insert it elegantly. Urgh… _

_Well, there's a time for everything. See you tomorrow/later today, dear readers!_


	21. Chapter 21: Obvious

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 21: **_Obvious_

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"No, 719-C," Onimeno said blandly. "Her eyes can't control the vicissitudes of fate and fortune." He gave Kiba a strange, strange look. "How the fuck would that even begin to work? I'm not sure anybody has enough chakra to control all the different factors."

Kiba bared his teeth, though he still looked a little intimidated. He had been like this since they had first been sent to the hospital. Kurenai and Genma were giving the Hokage and council a full report, but the genin would have their own appointment later on. In the mean time, Sakura had been instructed to see Onimeno immediately, and Shino and Kiba had been disinclined to let her out of their sight for the past week.

It had felt weird, introducing her teammates to her doctor, and not just because Kiba had been subdued and bizarrely cowed in the man's presence. Sakura suspected that had something to do with pack dynamics and the fact that Onimeno still looked fairly terrifying to anybody who had never seen his adorable little wife beat him with a wooden spoon for trying to sneak food before dinner.

"It was the most apparent conclusion we could reach, given the limited amount of time we spent training and testing the parameters, which in the end turned out to be a most fortuitous happenstance." Shino said. His voice was a bit stiff. "Why? Because our clientele were revealed to be Kumo-nin, and meticulously uncovering the mechanics of Sakura-san's doujutsu where they might have been able to catalogue it would have been…unfortunate."

Onimeno froze, his pen shattering in his grasp and spattering his palm and clipboard with ink. He very slowly turned away from his desk towards the three of them: Sakura in her chair with a teammate on either side of her.

"Say that again, 719-B." He requested in a deceptively calm and polite tone of voice. It creeped Sakura out on multiple levels when he played at being courteous. Nothing good ever followed. "Please, do, because I could have sworn you just implied you were travelling with _shinobi from Kumogakure_ for the duration of your time away from the village."

Sakura and Kiba swallowed, and even Shino looked a little discomfited. But the Aburame acquiesced. "We were," he affirmed. "Why? Because they were trying to root out a traitor in their midst. Sakura-san was briefly held captive alongside—"

Onimeno was suddenly on his feet, stool overturned and leaking killing intent like a broken pipe. _**"WHAT?"**_ he bellowed.

Sakura winced and slunk down in her chair. "It really wasn't as bad as it—"

"As it _what?!"_ Onimeno began pacing, raking a hand angrily through the ruddy mess he called hair. "As it _sounds?_ Because it sounds pretty goddamn bad, 719!" He whirled on her teammates. "Out of all of you, you decide to let the _adolescent female doujutsu user_ get captured by a rogue enemy ninja?! In what backwards, insane reality does that sound like an acceptable result? Please, tell me." He sneered.

"It wasn't their fault!" Sakura shot back hotly, but the damage was done. She had elected not to mention the more…_delicate_ matters she learned about with Onimeno, so she had never exactly drawn their attention to the fact that if she was abducted she might suffer a fate even worse than that of the average kunoichi in enemy hands. Shino had somehow managed to go even paler than he was already, and Kiba actually swayed on his feet in horror as the implications finally registered.

Onimeno noted their responses and struggled with his fury for a few moment until he had it under control, for the most part. They could at least breathe a little easier, with his killing intent properly leashed again. "Dammit…and of course it had to be fucking Kumo-nin. _Of course._" He blew out a long, frustrated sigh. "Okay. Okay. You said 'briefly' held captive. Did they touch your eyes? It's too much to hope that they didn't see them, I can tell by your expression."

Sakura was grimacing. "Their leader was…younger than us—"

"Fuck," Onimeno groaned. "Of course they wouldn't train you to suspect kids, we're the _nice_ village."

Sakura puffed her cheeks out, then reluctantly continued. "Their leader had his chakra sealed away, and was posing as the client and target. I was closest when the attack finally came, and we were both abducted. We were alone for a certain amount of time, and he saw my eyes." She elected _not_ to mention that she had actively shown him them as a gesture of goodwill and friendship. "I didn't tell him what they did, though. And we never mentioned it when we were with any of them."

"…okay," Onimeno admitted reluctantly after a short pause. "That actually isn't as bad as it first sounded."

"See?" Sakura relaxed a little, but her teammates still seemed a little ill. "And it would have gotten out eventually. As it is, I don't think they'll scream it from the rooftops, since they don't know anything about it."

"…did the old man know about the Kumo-nin ahead of time?" Onimeno asked, his tone disturbingly thoughtful.

"Yeah," Sakura said slowly, wondering what he was getting at. "Hokage-sama did. Why?"

"Well," Onimeno's voice was dry. "Considering the fact that in the last two decades, those creepy bastards have tried to kidnap two young girls from us, one with special chakra, and the other a member of the Hyuuga Clan's Main House…"

Sakura felt a small shiver travel down her spine. "…you think he might be testing the new administration?"

"I think he wanted to make a statement about the strength and confidence of the village, while making a gesture of limited trust and goodwill," Onimeno corrected her. "After the Hyuuga fiasco, they have to know that we'd keep our doujutsu on a tight leash around them. So you either had backup in the shadows, or he wanted them to think that you did."

"ANBU?" Shino clarified.

Onimeno nodded. "Probably. I doubt the old man would toss a bunch of green genin into a situation like that. Ugh." He scowled and kicked his stool upright, sitting down heavily. "Fucking _politics_. Anyways…" He scratched his neck. "What's this about 719-C having immunity to your non-luck-altering doujutsu?"

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, still reeling from the sudden blast of anger. "It was pretty weird. It worked on Shino and Akamaru and a bunch of civilians…"

Onimeno let out a mean bark of laughter. "Nice. I'm sure you had a grand time, sewing chaos and discord in your wake." He slapped his palms down on his thighs and stood, now in much better spirits. "Alright, brats. It's fieldtrip time. I want to see these 'lucky' little stars in action."

Kiba let out a wounded noise as Sakura glared death at the man. "We have gone months," she hissed. _"Months_ without going there. And you just wrecked that. I hope you're happy now, jerk."

"Downright ec_static."_ Onimeno grinned with offensive brightness.

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**O**

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Sakura and Kiba squared off, carefully keeping pace as they circled one another. Onimeno had somehow wrangled an open training field for their use and was watching carefully from the sidelines with Shino.

"Get moving," he prompted, folding his arms across his chest. Sakura had seen him without his white coat before, but he always looked so strange in just his normal clothes. Like a normal jounin, instead of a foul-mouthed, ill-tempered doctor. For a moment, Sakura wondered what it would have been like if _he _ was the instructor for Team Eight. Then she shuddered, shook her head, and channeled chakra to her eyes in an effort to purge that scary thought from her mind.

Kiba darted forward, sweeping up a kick. Sakura brought an arm up to block it, but it turned out to be unnecessary. Kiba rolled hi ankle and stumbled, nearly tripping face-first into the ground. Sakura blinked.

"Looks pretty damn effective from where I'm standing," Onimeno said.

"It…It didn't work before!" Sakura protested helplessly as she helped Kiba regain his balance.

"…why don't you re-enact what happened exactly," Onimeno said, in the tones of someone who had an inkling of what would come next.

Sakura racked her brain back to the night they first noticed Kiba's strange immunity, then slowly took off her glasses and set them aside. Kiba followed suit, and they resumed their former position. She took a breath and stared into his eyes as they blurred forward, and he didn't stumble with the first blow. He didn't during the second, or the third, or the seventh set of attacks they exchanged.

"I've seen enough," Onimeno decided after a few minutes.

Sakura and Kiba straightened and separated, replacing their glasses and moving back towards their teammate and the doctor. "So, how does it work?" Sakura asked, with a touch of impatient eagerness. He would mock her for it later, she was sure, but at the moment she just wanted a little of the mystique surrounding her stupid eyes dispelled.

"Well, first off, they don't have a damned thing to do with luck," Onimeno said pointedly. "You're basically sending a spike of chakra into your target's system. And the system feels that intrusion and basically propels your chakra out through the easiest avenue: the muscle system. Basically, you fuck with their motor skills a little bit."

"We can use that," Shino said, voice dripping with a dark and terrible purpose..

"Why was Kiba immune, then?" Sakura wanted to know. "And…now too. I mean, shouldn't full-on eye-contact just mean a bigger disturbance?"

"Oh right," Onimeno mused. "I never showed you the chart." He tapped his temple pointedly. "Alright, so you're a clever little brat; you know that the eyes are the shortest chakra-path to the brain. But what you don't know is that there's something called a Chakra Gate very close to the brain. Chakra Gates are essentially what keep your chakra from burning itself out, to keep things simple. The Gate takes your injected chakra as a 'donation' and refines and combines it with the target's chakra—your actually giving your opponent a miniscule energy boost."

"Thanks," Kiba grinned, then yelped when she kicked him in the shin without looking away from Onimeno.

The doctor snorted. "Anyways, with that trace amount of your chakra in his system, when you use your doujutsu it registers as an 'infusion' instead of an 'intrusion' and gets absorbed instead of repelled through his muscles. But your chakra won't be circulating through his system forever."

"Once it's used up," Sakura realized. "His immunity is gone too!"

"Exactly," Onimeno nodded, looking darkly amused.

Shino, at least, seemed to catch the backhanded humor of the situation. "So, in essence," the Aburame said slowly. "What you are telling us is that the strategy to overcome Sakura-san's doujutsu is to do the exact opposite of what the basic response to an unknown doujutsu is."

"Quick on the uptake, aren't you?" Onimeno remarked with a hint of approval, but Team Eight's attention was firmly tied up in the wicked, wonderful possibilities such a stipulation would afford them.

"We can use that," Sakura said with a slow, slightly wicked smile.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,860_

_**Total Word Count: **__40,997_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 35,000_

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_Sakura's doujutsu, finally explained! It's about time, haha._

_Thanks to Haze Be It, Pickles, Netag Silverstar, Alyn the Miracle, Sumiku Agaishi, Wandering the Arid Sea, Andelevion, eirame, LadyDream3512, maplehoof the 5__th__, Anonymous, nayuta, Chibified-chan, Twisted Musalih, romantiscue, Lazalie, wintersalad, ChicFreakSistaFierce, morpheusandmuse, Mengskhunter, Higanbana.4, and Gasanechi for the reviews!_

_See you all tomorrow!_


	22. Chapter 22: Shield

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 22: **_Shield_

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**O**

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Because they had time to kill, and because Onimeno had ruined the information sheet he had been working on when Shino dropped the Kumo-bomb, the four of them ended up returning to the examination room. They had lapsed into relative silence—meaning Shino was the only one actually being silent, Onimeno was still laughing under his breath, and Sakura and Kiba were squabbling over whether the latter could sit in the chair.

"Oh, come on!" Kiba scrunched his nose. "That thing is big enough for all three of us! Just scoot over a bit!"

Sakura gave him a dark look visible even through her ruined sunglasses and immediately slouched down, widening her legs and arms until she was splayed over as much of the chair as she possibly could. "Mine," she hissed possessively.

Kiba pouted—not even the most amazing pair of shades on the planet could disguise that—but just as he opened his mouth again, the door slammed open. Behind her cracked glasses, Sakura blinked. Weeks ago, she had thought that Sasuke was the person she would least expect to burst into this room.

She knew now that she had been wrong; the person she least expected wasn't Sasuke.

"Hinata-chan?" She asked, bewildered. Hinata was red-cheeked and panting, as though she had run straight here from wherever she had been previously, but there was a sort of frantic energy jolting through her delicate frame that Sakura had never seen before.

As if to compound the shock of her sudden entrance, Hinata completely ignored Sakura's implied question, instead taking a few steps towards the other girl and twisting her fingers into a seal. A second later the veins at her temples bulged, and she spent nearly an entire minute scrutinizing Sakura with a slightly disturbing intensity.

Then out of nowhere she went limp, like a puppet with its strings cut, and fell to her knees. Sakura was out of her chair in an instant, crouching down by the young heiress. Her concern skyrocketed when Sakura noticed she was trembling.

Hinata mumbled something, leaning heavily against Sakura for support.

"What?" Sakura leaned in, anxious.

"Th-Thank goodness," Hinata choked out, her fingers gripping Sakura's arms with a force that was belied by their seemingly dainty and fragile appearance. "Thank _goodness,_" She said again, her breath coming rough and shaky. "I-I…they s-said…Kumo…"

_Two girls in the past two decades,_ Sakura thought, realization slamming through her like a bolt of lightning. _The Hyuuga debacle. Oh my God, Hinata._ "I'm okay," she assured Hinata softly. "I'm fine. I wasn't the target. They didn't do anything to me. You know that." Well, nothing that hadn't been healed relatively quickly, at least. But Hinata had examined her on levels not even the medic-nin Team Eight had been referred to had been able to.

Hinata nodded, still a bit tremulous, and took a few deep breaths. Sakura saw Onimeno peering down at them with the fascination of one watching a highly suspenseful film, and glared at him until he rolled his eyes and went back to filling out his paperwork.

"Better?" She asked, once Hinata finally stilled and began to blush at her frantic actions. The shy girl made a strangled, squeaking noise in the back of her throat that sounded vaguely affirmative, but stared at the ground as Sakura helped them both back up to their feet.

"Thank you," Sakura said warmly, touched by the other girl's concern. Even if it was sparked by a past, personal trauma, that kind of worry from a girl she had only really reached out to after nearly six years of being in the same class made her feel happy enough that her eyes prickled a little.

Hinata made another little affirmative noise, this time a little more audible, and was even beginning to return to her pallor when the examination room suffered a second invasion, one that made Onimeno narrow his eyes and grip his clipboard so tightly that it groaned dangerously.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelped, shadowed by a bored-looking Sasuke. "Are you okay?! Did those Cloud bastards hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Sakura sighed as Hinata immediately went a deep red. "We were on a mission _together_, Naruto. Most of the shinobi didn't even look twice at me." Technically, that wasn't exactly true; she had been civil with the so-called guards, And Shī had definitely looked twice, which her ego hoped was because she was cute and not because Eichi had somehow signaled her secret out immediately.

"Ka-Kakashi-sensei said y-you were at the h-hospital after an i-incident with some K-Kumo-nin on your mission," Hinata explained quietly. With a bare-bones description like _that_, Sakura couldn't actually blame Hinata for assuming the worst and getting worked up.

Her stomach fluttered at the thought that Sasuke had been worried enough to come find her after hearing the news, but she ruthlessly quashed those butterflies with the rationalization that he had probably been dragged along by the other two-thirds of his team. She really couldn't let herself hope like that, when it wouldn't amount to anything in the end.

As distasteful as the patriot in her found it to be, she would have an astronomically higher chance having a happy, healthy family with a foreign shinobi who lacked any doujutsu than with her first love. So she thought of Shī, with his pretty face and signs of interest, of his stronger, socially inept little brother, until the urge to blush and smile coyly at Sasuke abated. She wasn't in love with the foreign medic-nin, but he had been _very_ attractive. Having someone pretty to think of would help her stop fantasizing about Sasuke, hopefully.

"There's a bit more to it than that," she said, at length. "But we haven't been debriefed yet, so I don't know what I can and can't tell you." Especially since the whole thing had been so damn _political_ and she wasn't sure how well Hinata would take the idea that even ambiguously friendly overtures were being made between the two villages.

"As _touching_ as this little display of worry is," Onimeno sneered. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't pollute my examination room with it. Out."

Sakura looked up. "But—"

"_Out,"_ Onimeno repeated, though his eyes were still focused on Sasuke and Naruto. "You and _Patient Number 654_ and all associated teammates; _out._ I have work to do, and a bunch of brats weeping over each other won't help that."

He shooed them out, then promptly slammed the door in their faces, leaving them gathered awkwardly in the hallway.

Predictably, it was Naruto who broke the silence. "Hey, hey, Sakura-chan! It's been a _really_ long time since we've last seen each other!" Sakura closed her eyes, too exasperated to cut him off from the normal offer. "So, since you've gotta wait to talk to Old Man Hokage, why don't we go on a—"

"Impossible," Shino cut in bluntly. "Why? Because we have team-centered matters to attend to in the interim, and little time during which to accomplish them. Good day." He bowed slightly and set off at a brisk pace down the hallway. Kiba shrugged apologetically and followed after his brusque teammate.

"Sorry," Sakura said, as though they really did have a standing appointment, and offered an awkward smile. "I'll catch up with you later, Hinata-chan. It was…good to see you boys. Bye." With a sheepish bow, she darted off to meet her waiting teammates.

"That was mean," Sakura scolded gently, when they were blocks away from the hospital and Team Seven.

"It was necessary," Shino contested. "You found their presence—sans Hyuuga-san's—to be cumbersome. Furthermore, I doubt that Uzumaki's invitation would extend to all three of us, and for convenience's sake we have decided to remain together until we are brought before the council."

"You still could have come up with a better lie," Sakura insisted.

"It's not _technically_ a lie," Kiba pointed out as they entered the glasses shop. "We _do_ have team-centered matters to attend to: the maintenance of our Team Thing!"

Sakura sighed as Shino slipped off to greet the elderly shopkeeper, Kondo, and ran a finger over her cracked lenses. "Fine, fine. All technically above board, right?"

Kiba let out a mirthless snort. "Yeah. All technically above board."

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**O**

* * *

The interview with the Council of Elders and the Hokage was long and thorough, grilling the genin of every possible scrap of information about the mission, the actions of the Kumo-nin, the reactions of the Kumo-nin, and everything in between. It was an arduous, tiring process, but Sakura felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted once everything had been reported.

Everything seemed so sickeningly secretive, lately, that speaking about everything frankly—from her eyes to the backstory she had been trying to piece together for Minoru to the eventual reveal of the true mission—was an unspeakable relief. She spared no expense, and didn't try to make her part sound any better than it was. She had severely miscalculated, first by getting captured and then by revealing her doujutsu when she didn't have to.

She received serious admonishments to avoid such measures in the future, but there was a certain sense of satisfaction in each wizened face that gave the impression that Kumogakure learning that Konoha had at least one new doujutsu up its sleeve wasn't exactly a terrible event.

It was after the debriefing, when the sun was setting and their wallets were fat with their generous payoff, that Sakura grew anxious again. She was quiet during the dinner she had with her teammate and teacher, or at least markedly more subdued. Nobody commented on it, however, and she didn't drag her feet on the way back to Kurenai's place.

She packed up her things quickly and efficiently, her qi-pao, her broken compact, all things that felt as though they were relics of another lifetime, and then departed with a small smile and a promise to see Kurenai at training the next morning.

The streets were dark, but the house that she had lived in for twelve years was brightly lit. She lingered on the front step for a long moment, before taking a deep breath and unlocking the door. She stepped inside, and closed the door behind her.

"I'm home."

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,710_

_**Total Word Count: **__42,707_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 36,667_

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_Blech, I was without internet again—this time due to the holiday! So today, I bring you a triple-chapter update!_

_Thanks to Keeper of Worlds, Arkeus, x-marks-the-spot1974, Wandering the Arid Sea, Higanbana.4, Lazalie, Black-footed, Lunaaklipce143, MoonShadow396, LadyDream3512, DarkAngelLilithX, Anonymous, Netag Silverstar, eirame, asdf, Alyn the Miracle, Ka, Gasanechi, minniemousemom, maplehoof the 5th, Shadow wolf fang, Andelevion, Guest, romantiscue, Zlatka, yellulhchicken, freedomwings26, Baka-no-desu-21, FashionablyHospitable, Haze Be It, GeshronTyler, Ciekawa Osoba, and Aurelia Astralis, for all the reviews! Especially those of you who actually took the time to go back and review older chapters. That was very kind of you!_

_There was some confusion on Sakura's doujutsu, so I'll try to work on a simpler explanation and add it in one of the upcoming author's notes, or maybe at the very end._

_Thank you all for your patience!_


	23. Chapter 23: Blood

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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_NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 22: SHIELD**__ GO BACK AND READ IT!_

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 23: **_Blood_

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**O**

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Taking into account his heightened senses, speed, and training, Sakura thought that it would make sense if her father was the first one to greet her.

She was wrong, of course, and had to make a conscious effort not to jump back as her mother barreled towards her. Mebuki stopped just short of bowling over her only child, and wasted no time in shoving her sunglasses on top of her head, and tilting Sakura's face up. Her eyes scanned over her daughter's face frantically.

"M-Mom," Sakura began, a bit unsure.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Mebuki demanded abruptly, withdrawing a hand and spreading it.

"Wha—"

"How _many?" _ Mebuki urged.

"Five! Mom, wh—"

"What color nail polish am I wearing?"

"Green. Mom…" Sakura was more than a little bewildered, but her requests for information were once again forestalled as Mebuki embraced her tightly, nearly collapsing. "M-Mom?"

"Thank God," the blonde woman whispered, before pressing a kiss to her daughter's rosy hair. "All Yutaka would say is that you ruined your eyes with some sort of ninjutsu; I've been thinking up the most horrible things the whole way back. I thought you were blind, or you had fried them with chakra, or—"

"Breathe, dear," Kizashi urged, padding down the stairs. He wrapped his arms around his wife and daughter, but Sakura could feel a coiled-up tension leaving his broad frame as well. If Mebuki had only passed on that vague explanation, than Kizashi, who knew exactly how gruesome the injuries a shinobi could incur during training could be, must have been going insane with worry.

"He didn't mention the part where he called me a freak?" Sakura asked dryly, because Shino was a horrible, horrible influence.

Sakura felt a flash of killing intent flicker in and out of existence as her father tensed once more. Mebuki seemed completely aghast, speechless with disbelief and slowly dawning anger, but Kizashi's smile didn't so much as waver. "No," the tall, pink-haired ex-elite jounin said slowly. "No, I don't think he did mention that to your mother. Why don't you come in and tell us what else slipped his mind, and then we can finally hear all about your genin adventures. Like when exactly this started." He tapped the space between her eyes, his own crinkling in a warm, reassuring grin.

Sakura nodded, and they all filed into the kitchen. And then Sakura talked; she wasn't sure how long it took, in the end, but she covered everything she could, fro the very beginning. She talked about her discovery, her appointments, getting her team, how her eyes changed, and how she trained with the boys. She talked about Onimeno, in all his crotchety glory, of meeting the Inuzuka's and her ill-fated attempt to tell Yutaka. She talked about the hospitality of the Onimeno couple, of living with Kurenai, of slowly accepting herself. She told them as much as she was authorized to about her missions, and what her eyes had evolved to do.

When she was finished, her father reached over and gently smacked her upside the head. "Idiot child," he admonished, shaking his head with a rueful smile. "We live in _Konohagakure_. Do you honestly think we'd be upset by this, as long as you could still see?"

"I think they're absolutely lovely," her mother assured her, cupping her cheek in her hand. "And I should probably go write to your grandfather about the news so he doesn't have a heart attack worrying about you any longer."

"Why am I the favorite?" Sakura asked abruptly. It had been weighing on her for a long time, since the first time she doubted Yutaka and started looking back on her family ties with new eyes. She couldn't think of anything she could have possibly done to earn such a vaunted position, not when all she could recall doing in his presence was keeping silent and staring at him when she thought he wasn't looking.

Her parents exchanged a long look, before Kizashi waved his wife off to write her letter and scooted closer, wrapping an arm around his daughter. "Well," he said calmly, his voice for once barren of joviality. "We told you before that you were born prematurely, yes?"

Sakura nodded. She had been smaller as a child, and once she had made her decision to follow the path of a ninja clear, she had been required to take special supplements in order to work her body up to the cut-off standards for Academy students.

Kizashi sighed, looking all thirty-two of his years for once. "Well, you were a really, really weak baby. You never cried, and you just wouldn't suck hard enough to get much milk down. The hospital did what they could for you, but they weren't sure you were going to make it. We…well, we wanted Hideki-sama to be able to hold you at least once, so we made the trek up to Iron; that actually saved us, since we ended up missing the Kyuubi attack by a hair's breadth. We made it up to Iron, and we presented you to Hideki-sama. At the time, we didn't realize just how cruel we were being."

"Cruel?" Sakura echoed. Her voice was soft; whether it was due to the excellence of her father's story-telling ability or the belated realization of her first brush with death, it didn't feel right to speak at a normal tone.

"If things had happened differently, you would have had another aunt," Kizashi told her. "Hideki-sama's first wife, your grandmother, had a very difficult first birth; it's part of why she died bringing your mother and Hajime into the world." Sakura understood why her mother wasn't the one explaining this to her. "The baby did survive, but she was very, very weak and sickly. Wouldn't eat, wouldn't cry…" Kizashi ruffled a hand through his flowery hairstyle. "Hideki-sama was off defending his territory from a ronin uprising. By the time he returned, it was to a dead child who hadn't made it to her first year and a deeply depressed wife. He very rarely spoke of her; your mother didn't find out about her older sister until…well, until we told Hideki-sama that your name was Sakura. Just as hers had been.

"I'll never forget the look on his face as long as I live," Kizashi said. "He took you into his arms, and I have never seen him look at someone the way he did this tiny, pink little bundle. He was terrified, and full of this fragile hope, and maybe even a little desperate. He took you up into his arms, and he didn't put you down for three days and three nights. He did everything he could for you, wouldn't let a single person take you away. I'm not even sure he slept. To this day I have no idea how he managed it, but early in the morning we were all woken up by this _wailing_ baby. She was screaming and crying and fussing, and it remains the most beautiful thing I have ever heard in my entire life."

He wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close. Sakura snuggled into his arm, thinking it over. "Did…" She hesitated, even though the words felt right. "Did Sofu-sama ever sing to me?"

"All the time," Kizashi affirmed. "Even after you started eating, he kept stealing you away to rock you to sleep, or administer your medicine, or change or burp you. It scandalized the maids and drove your mother nuts, let me tell you, but after we heard about what had happened…well, she didn't have the heart to chase him off."

"Oh." Sakura stayed like that for a long while, just hugging her father, before she finally pulled away. "Do you think Mom has room for a post-script in that letter of hers?" She wondered.

"I certainly do." Mebuki was leaning against the doorframe, her eyes soft and wet, wit a scroll in her hand. "He'll be happy to hear from you."

Sakura let out a yawn, and was gently shrugged off and pushed towards the stairs by her father. She took the scroll from her mother, kissed the woman goodnight, and stumbled up the stairs to her room for the first time in months. She paused in the doorway, not even bothering to flip on the lights as she studied it.

Everything was just how she left it, but somehow it still felt as though she was looking at it for the very first time. The dresser full of frilly, silky things seemed like it belonged to a girl much younger now. The armoire of dresses seemed as though it should be set aside for special occasions. The long white robe with its fierce embroidery hung in the middle of the room was now a thoughtful, supportive gesture instead of a bewildering and useless gift from her spacey, dreamy uncle.

Sakura took a step inside, and began unpacking.

Little by little, she mixed New Sakura with Old Sakura. The frills were shoved up and shared drawers with more practical, plain clothes. Her long vest was hung up with the gowns. Her weapons pouches and medical kit were laid out by the makeup she hoped she still remembered how to apply. Her field pack was hung on the back of her desk chair, and her glasses were finally slid off and perched on the top of the robe-stand.

Sakura took a deep breath, got changed, and slid into bed. The sheets were soft and still smelled of her mother's favored softener, and the quilt was thick and warm. She would never stop being grateful for Kurenai's hospitality, but the woman, for all her excellent points, had horrible taste in couches. There was nothing in the world, Sakura decided, like sleeping in your own bed after a long, physically, mentally, and emotionally draining mission.

She closed her eyes, and for the first time in months, went to sleep with a heart unburdened by any worries whatsoever.

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,670_

_**Total Word Count: **__44,377_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 38,334_

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_NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 22: SHIELD**__ GO BACK AND READ IT!_

_Thank you for your patience!_


	24. Chapter 24: Hidden

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

* * *

_NOTE: THIS IS THE THIRD CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 22: SHIELD**__ AND __**CHAPTER 23: BLOOD**__ GO BACK AND READ THEM!_

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 24: **_Hidden_

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**O**

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The next day found Team Eight in quite high spirits. Sakura had been waiting at the training field, positively beaming. Kiba and Shino, in their own ways, had leeched off of her good humor in a sort of domino effect. They hadn't been quite as anxious about Sakura's family situation, but there had still been some definite worry on their parts that was now assuaged.

"Well," said Kurenai, smiling brightly. "It's good that everything worked out for you in the end."

"Yeah!" Sakura grinned and slammed a kick into Kiba's crossed forearms, sending him stumbling back. His immunity was still fresh, so she was keeping a tight lock on the chakra going to her eyes and her shades stayed on. Eventually she would want to test the range of her eyes and how much chakra she could use at once, but somehow she didn't think Shino would take being the sole test dummy very well. So she had decided to hold off on that for now.

"You worried way too much," Kiba scoffed, jumping back and shaking the sting from his arms. "I _told_ you it would all work out fine."

"I don't recall any such assurances," Shino corrected, lashing out at Kurenai and being easily parried. "In fact, I have a vivid recollection of you wondering if there was a way to adopt her into your clan outside of marriage."

"What?" Sakura unsuccessfully tried to swallow a laugh, and nearly got punched out by Kiba for her lapse in concentration.

The Inuzuka was as red as his partner was white, and glaring hotly at their formerly taciturn teammate. "Dammit man, why do you have no sense whatsoever for the Guy Code?! Do you know how many rules you keep breaking?"

"As I have said, if you would direct me to a printed copy, I would endeavor to memorize this so-called 'code' to your satisfaction."

"I _told_ you, that's not how it—_urk!"_ Kiba paid for his inattention with a swift punch to the solar plexus, leaving him stumbling and wheezing. Sakura followed up with a series of kicks and blows, eventually tripping him up and sending him sprawling onto the ground. A kunai pressed to his jugular marked her as the winner of that particular spar. Kiba huffed as Akamaru yapped out his canine laughter from the shaded sidelines, but accepted Sakura's hand and scrambled back up in time to see Shino get pinned, as they all knew he would eventually.

They were fairly decent for fresh genin when it came to taijutsu. But none of them were up to jounin standards, not even when said jounin was a genjutsu specialist.

"Excellent work today," Kurenai complimented, pulling Shino up an dusting her hands off. "You three have come a long way since we started. Now, let's run the tree exercise aga—"

She was cut off by a messenger hawk, which swooped down in a looping, deliberate path before landing on her outstretched arm. Kurenai accepted the missive, scanned it, then crumpled and burned it with a single hand-sign. "Change of plans," their teacher apologized. "I've been summoned, so let's break for today." Kurenai paused as she turned to leave, and peered back at her students. "Be good," she ordered them, before departing in a swirl of leaves.

"We're _always_ good," Sakura protested innocently.

* * *

**O**

* * *

"Sensei is going to kill us if she finds out about this," Kiba mused with a wicked, utterly unrepentant grin on his face.

The three of them were lounging in a shinobi-only bar, nursing tea and soda and staring idly at the door. It wasn't rare at all for newly graduated genin to take advantage of their technically 'adult' status, but no member of Team Eight really had difficulty gaining access to alcohol, and didn't see the attraction. Sakura especially had developed a palate for fine vintages through sips from the cups of her relatives at clan gatherings, and didn't want to set herself up for inevitable disappointment.

"Hardly," Shino disagreed. "If anything, she should applaud our initiavtive."

Left to their own devices, Team Eight had ended up sliding down a dangerous mental slope, as they were wont to do. One of them—most likely Shino—had brought up their massive, relatively untapped potential as a Sabotage Squad. From there, it seemed like the most natural idea in the world to test out that specialty before they grew too fixated on it.

And that had led them here, to a booth with a perfect view of the door (though technically, considering the clientele, the fact that all booths had a perfect view of the door was essentially a necessity), with Sakura staring lazily, idly pumping chakra to her eyes.

"We _are_ being good," Sakura argued, stirring up the ice in her drink. "We're taking initiative and investigating our strengths. That has to be _good_, otherwise Iruka-sensei has been lying to us. And he wouldn't do that."

"Certainly not," Shino agreed, taking a long sip of tea.

A tired-looking chuunin entered the bar. He took a few steps, and then nearly tripped over his own sandal. He stumbled, then caught himself and shot a sheepish look around at all the silent witnesses before scuttling of to an open barstool.

A few moments later, a jounin ambled out. He ended up shifting to far to the left and banged is shoulder loudly and probably painfully on the doorframe. He gave the doorway a brief, suspicious look, rubbed hi shoulder, and quickly vanished into the busy street.

The curiosity of a shinobi is a force unlike any other, both legendary, fearsome, and at times the simplest and most effective of traps. This was one such occasion. One by one, trickling out casually over the course of the next few hours, ninja after ninja casually inspected the doorway, looking all over for the trap they knew to be there. Team Eight watched from their table, the perfect picture of a fascinated genin team studying their superiors and future comrades with awe and a bit of amusement.

Their giggles were easily written off as childish or slapstick humor at the continuing misfortune of their village's experts. Especially considering they weren't the only ones laughing, or the oldest of the amused audience.

Their fun couldn't go on forever though and as soon as Sakura began leaning a bit too heavily on Shino from chakra loss, the three idly and unhurriedly began finishing their drinks. When the waitress came back around, they paid and left. They nearly made an elementary mistake and exited scott-free, but through pure luck, Sakura's drained state made her stumble into her teammates.

They were steadied with an understanding smile by the pair of chuunin taking their turn examining the door, and left unhindered.

They made it about a block before bursting out laughing. Or at least, Sakura and Kiba laughed, while Shino smirked behind his collar.

"I'm quite glad you three had fun," came a kindly voice that made all three stiffen up.

As one, they turned to look behind them at their esteemed Hokage, who was smiling warmly down at them. The only thing keeping their shocked and slightly horrified expressions concealed was that their glasses managed to hide their wide eyes.

"Hokage-sama," Sakura managed to greet, and the trio managed a set of stiff bows. They weren't quite so naïve as to hope that the Hokage didn't know exactly what they had been doing, how they were doing it, when they started and why they stopped.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" Kiba asked, only to be discretely hit by both his teammates for his admission by proxy of their mischief making.

"Oh no," the Sandaime shook his head, laughing. "No children, not at all. I can hardly admonish you for some innocent fun. In fact, a thought occurred to me, and I was hoping to make an offer that I believe your team shall enjoy…"

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**O**

* * *

"And that's basically how we ended up with a minor part assisting in the Jounin Trials," Sakura explained to Kurenai who was rubbing her temples and staring at them in bewilderment in turns.

"One afternoon," Kurenai said slowly. "I leave you three to your own devices for _one_ afternoon and I come back to one of you missing four-fifths of her chakra, and a mission scroll for one of the more secretive processes in our village."

"It was my idea," Kiba claimed proudly. Shino kicked him off of the couch, reveling in his wounded yelp.

Kurenai turned her gaze on Sakura, who merely shrugged and smiled helplessly. She wasn't entirely sure how it had happened either, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

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**O**

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,448_

_**Total Word Count: **__45,825_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 40,000_

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_NOTE: THIS IS THE THIRD CHAPTER I HAVE POSTED IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ __**CHAPTER 22: SHIELD**__ AND __**CHAPTER 23: BLOOD**__ GO BACK AND READ THEM!_

_Thank you for your patience!_


	25. Chapter 25: Tinder

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 25: **_Tinder_

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**O**

* * *

"Okay," Sakura said, tapping the map thoughtfully. "So, since one of the trials is taking place in Training Ground 44, Hokage-sama wants us stationed _here_." She tapped a circled portion near, but not in, Training Ground 44, before frowning. "That's…a really big training field. Do you know anything about it, Kurenai-sensei?"

"Training Ground 44, you said?" Kurenai wrinkled her brow in thought as she brought over a fresh pot of tea. Her confusion quickly cleared as she caught sight of the map. "Oh, you mean the Forest of Death. Yes, it is rather large. I remember when I was a little girl we had to get a Seal Master to keep it from growing outwards any further."

"The Forest of Death?" Kiba went pale, and Akamaru began whimpering and cowering against the boy. "My sister told me about that place…"

"Oh, here we go," Sakura sighed and took a long pull of tea.

"No," Shino spoke up in Kiba's defence, which was surprising in and of itself. "This is one instance which I do not believe Kiba-san could have been led astray about. My clan occasionally goes on expeditions to the Forest. It is…" He hesitated, which was even _more_ surprising. "It is a very dangerous undertaking."

"What's in there?" Sakura asked, now a bit thankful that they wouldn't be entering the scary territory.

"Things that once upon a time might have been normal," Kurenai explained. "But, the way I always heard it, that area used to be the private training ground of the Senju clan. They ended up saturating the ground and vegetation with their chakra while honing their Mokuton abilities. From there, it infected the wildlife as well, and just got worse as time went on. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure ninety to ninety-five percent of what lives in there could kill a civilian before they got ten steps in."

"Hokage-sama mentioned that part of that trial would center around proper transportation and disposal in a timely manner," Shino recalled. "So perhaps they will be thinning those deadly ranks and dealing with the carcasses."

"Makes you wonder what the other trials are like," Kiba muttered, but Sakura's thoughts were stuck on something else entirely.

"Are we signing a peace treaty with someone? Or starting a war?" she asked Kurenai.

"...what?" She was treated to a wide, red-eyed look of surprise. "not to my knowledge, no. Why do you ask?"

"I'm trying to figure out why we need more jounin and a less dangerous forest," Sakura explained. "This sort of seems like we're hitting two birds with one stone, and there's a big tower at the middle of 44. So I thought maybe it would be a defensible place to be used for something big, and if foreign powers are coming in it would only make sense that we would want to look like we're at our strongest."

The Jounin Trials were not an annual event. From what Sakura had heard from her father, they were generally held on a need-based basis. There was always a need for the general shinobi force of the Chuunin Corps, but the higher-ranked missions reserved for the elite were generally snatched up and hoarded. Unless there was a massive wave of retirement, death, or long-term missions that Team Eight wasn't privy to, there weren't many other options Sakura could think of that presented the need for the Jounin Trials to be held.

Kurenai was smiling in a strange way. "It always amazes me how you can weave these things together and still come out with a totally new, reasonable answer."

"So you _do_ know the reason behind the timing of the Jounin Trials and the population cut," Shino deduced.

"Yes to the first, but as for the second I merely have an educated guess." Which meant that she was fairly certain, but hadn't found any concrete evidence to support her theories.

"Okaaay," Kiba said slowly, eying their teacher suspiciously. "Well, maybe one of the jounin candidates will spill something when they pass by…where are we set up?"

"An outdoor dango stand," Sakura told him, with relish.

Kiba fake-gagged. "Oh great, we get to watch you choke down lethal amounts of sweets between sabotage attempts. This is going to be the best mission _ever_."

"I may be mistaken," Shino began pensively, in the tones of one who knew very well that were not even slightly mistaken. "But hasn't your sister been looking forward to trying to advance?"

"…this is going to be the best mission _ever_." Kiba declared with a wolfish grin.

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**O**

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A few days later, once their plans were set, Team Eight was summoned to the Hokage's Tower. Kurenai had been assigned a brief solo-mission that morning, but her students hadn't expected anything more than being assigned a temporary teacher in her absence. The thick envelope that Sakura was presented with by the Hokage himself threw all three of them for a loop.

Slowly, and with obvious bewilderment, Sakura reopened the obviously pre-read missive addressed to her in crisp, nearly mechanical handwriting.

_Haruno Sakura-san, _it read.

_As I write this, I do not do so with any true expectation. The persona of 'Minoru' I crafted was false, and therefore __no accord made with or by this fictitious persona is binding for either of us. However, should you be inclined or unopposed to the idea of keeping the correspondence you discussed during our time, I would certainly return the sentiment._

_The current climate in Kumogakure is satisfactory for training purposes. My physical health remains impeccable, as do that of my unit and immediate blood relations. What I did today was classified. What I did last night was classified. Yesterday afternoon I had a late lunch of yakisoba. It was adequate. That morning, I trained, after doing something that was also classified._

_I expect that you and your unit and immediate blood relations are in a similarly acceptable state of health. If you are not, I am told that I should offer my sympathies instead of requesting the culprit behind your hypothetically impaired state and wreaking vengeance upon him or her until an equal or greater amount of damage has been incurred, even though I still believe that my initial instinct would be more practical. _

_The fate of the compromised operative Satoru is classified. I am, however, permitted to relay that before he met said fate, he was properly disciplined for his actions towards you. I personally oversaw these measures, and can assure you that they were fully appropriate. I feel partially responsible for the tension, stress and exhaustion you suffered due to our actions. I formally offer my apologies, and have attached a restitution package, composed from categories that I have been informed are attractive to individuals of your gender and age group._

_If I do not receive a response within a three-month period, I shall assume that you either do not wish to continue this correspondence or did not receive it, at the discretion of your leaders._

_Eichi_

Sakura refolded the letter, blinking behind her glasses.

"It's like somebody just gave him a dictionary definition of stuff you write letters about and he used a checklist," Kiba noted. He and Shino had been shamelessly reading over her shoulder. "Not gonna lie, I'm kind of wondering what the apology gift is like."

The Hokage gestured to an open box that had not been on the grand desk when the genin had begun reading. Sakura pulled it into her lap as Shino began inspecting the letter more closely. Sakura assumed that it had been thoroughly examined for traps or bombs, so she didn't hesitate to dig a hand into the package. Her fingers wrapped around something smooth and cyclindrical.

She pulled it out, and noted by its shape and the rattling sound it made that it was a pill bottle. "Vitamins?" She guessed, mystified.

"Sugar-based chakra-supplements," the Hokage corrected, and Sakura thought he seemed entirely too amused about all of this. "I gather that it's of an especially fine quality, from what the lab analysts said."

"Sweets," Kiba ticked off.

The next thing that Sakura pulled out was a flat, unmarked envelope half-filled with seeds.

"Mountain lilies," the Hokage specified, puffing lightly on his pipe. "Not exactly rare, but they should be able to thrive here with a little extra care."

"Flowers," noted Shino. "Though they have not been grown and cut before being given, as is the custom."

The third piece of the 'restitution package' was, strangely enough, what appeared to be a set of steel-plated brass knuckles. For a moment all of them seemed stumped as to how that would appeal to a young girl, before Kiba set forth a theory.

"Maybe…jewelry?" he guessed. "Rings? Shiny stuff?"

It made as much sense as anything else. Sakura thought that was the end of it, but one last swipe dislodged a thin sheet of what felt like photography paper. She withdrew it, and promptly went red and tossed it back in the box. On either side of her, she heard her teammates make the same, slightly enraged, slightly disgusted noise in the back of their throats at differing levels. Sakura couldn't say that she shared the sentiment.

The photo, from what she had seen, hadn't been of the best quality. It seemed to have been taken by a low-grade reconnaissance camera, and the background was fairly blurred. What it _did_ have, however, was a fairly well positioned shot of Shī in the middle of peeling his shirt off during what Sakura could only assume to be training. She stared around the room, clearing her throat now and then until it felt as though she could speak normally.

"Well," she said, packing everything back into the small box. "Well. That was very… Well, he certainly tried his best. Um. Hokage-sama, am I permitted to write back?" Sakura asked, capitalizing on what little time remained before her teammates regained their powers of speech. "He isn't really the correspondent I imagined when I extended the offer originally, but…"

The old man, who was definitely, irrevocably amused by all this, nodded with faux –graveness. "Certainly, Sakura-chan. Just be aware that we will be looking through these letters, and you may have to rewrite them several times before they can be released to our satisfaction. From what we saw, Eichi-san has been given a similar mandate."

"That's very generous of you," Sakura thanked him, rising from her seat to bow formally. Her teammates mirrored her jerkily, each still trying to deny what their eyes had shown them.

"Not at all," he waved her off with a kind smile. "Your replacement teacher for today has arrived with his team, so I'll dismiss you three for now."

They all bowed again and left, though Sakura stopped dead in the lobby when she saw just who they would be working with.

"Hey kids," Asuma greeted with a small smile and a wave. "Long time no see."

"What the hell are you wearing?" Ino demanded, raking her gaze up and down Sakura's new outfit. "Why do you all have sunglasses?"

"It's a Team Thing," Kiba boasted, riled out of his disturbed silence by the need to show off.

Sakura just smiled weakly and prayed that this wouldn't end as horribly as she felt it might.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,880_

_**Total Word Count: **__47,705_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 41,667_

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_I can't believe I only have five more chapters to go… Not only will this be the first time I've ever finished the 50,000-word-novel-in-one-month challenge, it will be the first time I have ever finished a real chapter story! I'm starting to get excited…_

_I'd like to give a big thanks to Chihori-chan, The Keeper of Worlds, Wandering the Arid Sea, Melody-chii, freedomwings26, Crowind, Six Ribbons, Guest(#1), eirame, Haze Be It, YukariSakura, Malthinae, romantiscue, Alyn the Miracle, blacKStreek, Spartan1, Guest(#2), shadow-binder, Netag Silverstar, LadyDream3512, nayuta, Ka, DarkAngelLilithX, Sayle, Anonymous, Chibified-chan, morpheusandmuse, OrionRedde, LadyCalus, Kitiara Woodbane, flan bridge, Twisted Musalih, Zlatka, Andelevion, anna012, Butterfly-fighter, and Guest(#3) for all the reviews!_

_Catch you all tomorrow!_


	26. Chapter 26: Stumble

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

* * *

The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 26: **_Stumble_

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**O**

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"Today we'll be running a double-hostage drill," Asuma said, clapping his hands together once they reached the training field. "Kurenai and I were planning on running it with you kids, but then that long C-Rank put it off. This is the perfect opportunity, so gather up and we'll pick our hostages."

_Oh dear,_ Sakura thought faintly as her teammates went very, horribly still beside her. All six genin drew straws from the jounin's proffered fist. Sakura wasn't so naïve as to think it was pure coincidence that she and Ino ended up cast as the captured agents. But she didn't protest or grumble, the way Ino was; she just sighed, squeezed Kiba and Shino's wrists in a silent gesture of reassurance and an admonishment to not get carried away. She wasn't certain how much got through to them and how much was lost in translation, but she resignedly released them and trudged over to where Asuma had drawn Ino aside.

"Alright," he said, smiling at them. "Each of you has a password. If the other team gets the password out of you, that's a half-win for them. If your team rescues you before you spill the password, then that's a half-win for you. Here." He passed each of them a slip of paper. Sakura scanned it, smothered a laugh, memorized it, and passed it back to Asuma, who shredded it to dust with a twitch of his fingers. Ino followed suit a moment later, and they rejoined the boys.

"You have twenty minutes to set up your bases," Asuma told them. "The hostages are to be secured, and the area should ideally be defensible. When you hear the timer—" which he produced from one of the many pockets on his vest. "—ring, then the simulation can begin. You can only retrieve your teammate, in whatever state she may be in, after you have retrieved your prisoner's password. Understood?"

"Yes, Asuma-sensei," they all droned.

"You have twenty minutes," Asuma told them, setting the timer. "Get to work."

Sakura felt her body seize up and begin to move without her permission. It was a scary feeling, being Shikamaru's puppet, but feeling her spine slouch and her hands slip boredly into her pockets took some of the fright out of the situation. Behind her she heard Ino let out an indignant shriek, followed by a series of muffled, angry sounds. Sakura would bet good money that Kiba had gagged her and Shino had tied her up and was hauling her across the dirt, based on the sounds that were growing fainter.

"Your teammates have a death wish," Shikamaru noted idly.

Sakura shrugged, smiling. If he wasn't cast in the role of an enemy at that moment, she might have corrected him; Shino had always seemed to have a grudge of some sort against Ino for some childhood slight or another, and Kiba still hadn't quite moved past the stage where it was fun to rub dirt in a cute girl's hair. But both of them, she was certain, could more than handle themselves against Ino, bereft of the resigned tolerance that Ino had beaten into Shikamaru and Chouji over the years.

As it was, she remained mute on the subject. She had learned her lesson about loose lips during a captive situation.

Shikamaru sighed and straightened her up as Chouji tied her ropes with a quick, apologetic look, then forced her to her knees and released his jutsu. He strolled over to press a blade to her neck. "I'll watch her, Chouji. You should go set a few traps." The pudgy boy nodded and wandered off. Sakura imagined that, coming from a clan acclaimed for its culinary dexterity, he would probably be far more efficient than his lazy friend when it came to measures like that.

Chouji returned quickly enough, and the three of them waited in slightly uncomfortable silence, broken only by the occasional crinkle and crunch of Chouji's snacking. Finally, the timer went off. Both boys turned to Sakura, but abruptly whirled around again when Ino's loud, distinctive shriek rent the air.

"What the hell…" Shikamaru breathed.

Sakura was fairly certain that Shino had brought out part of his colony as a threat. If Kiba had ordered Akamaru to mark her old friend, Sakura was quite certain the shrieking would be comprised of brutal, enraged death threats. Yes, she decided inwardly, as the screaming died down and left a stilted, suspicious silence in its wake. It most likely had been Shino, who had taken over the interrogation. Kiba was probably trying to get a head start on tracking her, if Shino didn't know her exact location already.

"What are they _doing?"_ Shikamaru demanded, looking a little pale. Sakura didn't so much as twitch. As much as she might want to reassure him that neither of her teammates would do anything…_irreparable_ during a friendly competition, she couldn't honestly say that they wouldn't get a little carried away. This type of thing was a relatively new sore spot for them, after all.

Besides, they were the enemy. You didn't console the enemy when they were about to pump you for information.

"Damn." Shikamaru sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Looks like we don't have much time then." He recast his jutsu and forced her to stand. "Sorry, Chouji, but would you mind untying her again? She's gonna need her hands for this to work."

The ropes loosened and she was forced to mirror Shikamaru again. Behind her glasses, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. The Nara Shadow Possession techniques could be used quite effectively for torture, but she doubted that her sluggish ex-classmate would be willing to work up the effort and nerve for that for the sake of a relatively meaningless training exercise. Furthermore, she was smaller than him and had a more limited reach, so the options he had for intimidating her were fairly narrow on such short notice.

Her train of thought was suddenly and violently derailed as she felt her own fingers curl in the hem of her shirt. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth dropped open in shock.

"This is troublesome, but here's how this is going to go," Shikamaru told her, visibly bored in comparison to his bright red teammate. "I'm going to count to five, and then I'm going to start lifting. As soon as you tell us the password, I'll stop. When that is, is totally up to you. Got it?"

"You can't be serious," Sakura said, struggling helplessly with the force that controlled her as her cheeks heated up.

"One," Shikamaru began, signifying that he was completely serious.

Sakura snapped her mouth shut, stubbornly resolving to stay silent.

"Two."

Her jaw tightened, but otherwise she could have been carved from stone for all she responded.

"Three…Fffoooouuur…" Shikamaru drew the penultimate number out, almost turning it into a question, before sighing when she refused to budge. He sighed. "Okay, five. I warned you." He began lifting, Sakura copying his moves. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the cloth slide up.

Their shirts didn't reveal much more than navels before, with a bestial snarl, Kiba erupted from the foliage and bodily tackled Shikamaru into a nearby tree. It was enough to break the boy's concentration, and Sakura wasted no time yanking her shirt back down as soon as she regained control of her limbs.

"What the _hell_ d'you think you're doing?!" Kiba growled out, shaking Shikamaru's limp form. The lazy boy had either been knocked out by his collision with the tree, or was wisely opting to play dead instead of facing the wrath of his friend.

Sakura heard a buzz and a thump, and turned just in time to see Chouji slump to the ground as a cloud of black insects slipped back to Shino, who was approaching with a bound and gagged Ino slung over one shoulder. From what Sakura could tell, the blonde had fainted.

"Well," said Asuma, hopping down from the foliage. "This is a little embarrassing. Look's like it's a full win for you guys. I'll have to have a word with these guys, once they wake up…"

"Don't be too hard on them," Sakura told him earnestly. "To be completely honest, they could have stripped me naked and I still wouldn't have said a word. You gave me one of my uncle's poems, after all; I can't say recite any of them any way other than the grandiose ways he says them, and you couldn't get me to do it in public for love or for money."

"'Pigs love truffles and ruffles' couldn't have been much easier for Yamanaka-san to say," Shino told her.

"Why does it even matter?" Kiba complained, finally dropping Shikamaru and standing back up. "We won! Be happy!"

His teammates looked at one another and decided, silently, that maybe just once they would take his advice.

Though they certainly wouldn't be admitting it within his earshot.

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**O**

* * *

"That one was my trap." Kiba claimed proudly as a chuunin stumbled over a wire and tripped, landing on the large sack he was carrying with a disgusting squelch. From what little they new, this was one of the final parts of the Trials, so the contestants were drained on multiple levels. But, as the saying went, there was just no rest for the wicked.

That was where Team Eight came in.

They had set up shop, so to speak, at the dango stand that had been selected for them, and then proceeded to set as many traps and trip-ups as they could manage while still skirting blatantly obvious constructs. And, because despite the fact that they were actively trying to ruin the hard work of their fellow assassins, they were still a trio of twelve year olds, they were keeping score of whose actions caught more jounin-hopefuls unawares.

Sakura, naturally, was winning by a landslide through the virtue of being awarded a joint point for every stumble into a trap that she claimed. The boys couldn't know whether she truly was the root cause, but neither of them was stupid enough to call her a liar to her face when there was a nest of traps they could very easily be punted into.

Shino marked down a tally on the napkin they had claimed for their unofficial contest under Kiba's column, and took a sip of tea. "Mine," he claimed, as a young woman and what turned out to be her water clones stumbled through a wire net, causing the clones to disperse and drop large chunks of what appeared to be a massive centipede. Above her, three more chuunin sailed away, quickly and efficiently.

They obviously didn't catch everybody, but those that they did manage to sabotage were amusing to watch. Sakura delicately bit into the third skewer of her fifth platter of dango, and channeled more chakra to her eyes as another wave of candidates approached.

Best mission _ever._

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,828_

_**Total Word Count: **__49,533_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 43,334_

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_Oh my gosh, I'm actually going to break 50,00 words, guys. Never fear, this story will end with November, not that deadline, but wow! I can't believe that I'll finally beat this challenge…_

_Sorry that the update's a little late today! I started up classes again after getting back from break today._

_Thanks to Butterfly-fighter, OtakuGal, MoonShadow396, Chihori-chan, Sasu-Cakes137, Guest(#1), faln bridge, Peppermint21, Wandering the Arid Sea, Haze Be It, Lazalie, OrionRedde, The Keeper of Worlds, InARealPickle, Black-footed, 13, Anonymous, It'sASercret, minniemousemom, Netag Silverstar, Guest(#2), Evil Made, Andelevion, juniperlei, GeshronTyler, Aurelia Astralis, Kraziibunny11, Alyn the Miracle, Ka, WheeledWriter, Sayle, TheSecondOtherGuy, blacKStreek, shadow-binder, Twisted Musalih, Kitiara Woodbane, romantiscue, Guest(#3), Razorsmile, and __**Darkingfire**__for the reviews!_

_**Darkingfire, **__you happen to be the 500th reviewer for this story—which completely blew me down, let me tell you—so, you get to pick an aspect of this world that you want to know more about, and it will be the first part of the sidefic/drabble collection I'll eventually start after this story ends._

_Thank you all for your support this last month. I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this is for me._


	27. Chapter 27: Fighting

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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**O**

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 27: **_Fighting_

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**O**

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"After the results of the recent Jounin Trials," the Hokage announced, and Kurenai fought the urge to groan and bury her face in her hands. "Certain individuals who will remain unnamed—" Which every jounin present knew referred to either one of the elders, or members of the Clan council. "—have raised concerns about the quality of the training that our forces have been receiving in recent years. The Academy's curriculum is currently being examined, and it has been decided that on top of the normal mission completion requirements, all teams sponsored for the Chuunin Exams from our village will be required to undergo a preliminary competition."

There was not an immediate, aghast uproar at the announcement, as every individual in the room was a hardened, specially trained soldier. Umino from the Academy, Kurenai could see from the corner of her eye, actually seemed rather pleased by this turn of events. A quiet susurrus of discussion did sweep throught the large room, however

"If Ino doesn't kill me for this," Asuma murmured beside her. "Then Shikamaru probably will."

"Wouldn't that be too troublesome?" She teased lightly.

"I'm signing them up for an intensive test, and a test they have to take in order to take _that_ test. I'll count myself lucky if he doesn't smother me in my sleep."

There was a common myth that circulated among the genin, perpetuated by wave after wave of jounin instructors. The myth was that the Chuunin Exams were an optional undertaking, which was as false as a three-ryo coin. The fact of the matter was, if a jounin sponsored their team, it was not an opportunity; it was an order, and could even be classified as a mission of sorts. Choosing not to attend the Exams was quietly marked down as a failure on the records of all team members, and would be weighed as such when it came to things like field promotions or preferential assignments to certain missions.

Kurenai didn't have the slightest shred of doubt that her team would jump at the chance for advancement, and for all he complained otherwise, she was certain Asuma would be fine as well in that department. From what her students had said, Team Ten had too much history with one another for one of them to be comfortable with the thought of holding the other two back. And the Yamanaka seemed quite capable of getting her teammates motivated. She shifted her eyes towards Kakashi, who wasn't, despite all odds, reading one of his infamous books. She had heard rumors that the Head of the Hyuuga Clan had personally had a chat about what was and wasn't appropriate to have on his person while teaching a young lady with the Byakugan.

"And yours?" she asked politely.

"Hm?" Kakashi eyed her lazily. Kurenai wasn't quite naïve enough to assume that she had caught him daydreaming. "Oh, I'd say they'll be ready as well. Hinata-chan has been training more and more with her father these days, so I think she'll be happy to have an opportunity to test out the harsher stuff, since I have to flat out order her before she'll lay a finger on one of the boys."

"It'll be a good learning experience, if nothing else," Asuma agreed.

Kurenai faced forward again as their leader called them to order and opened up the floor for nominations.

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**O**

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"So what you're telling us," Sakura said slowly. "Is that we did too well and we're all being punished for being excellent."

"Sounds about right," Kiba grumbled, rubbing his aching ribs. From what he had shared with his team, one of his cousins had gotten caught up in their traps, and had found Kiba's scent in the area. The cousin had still gotten promoted, but there was rarely an occasion in the Inuzuka Clan that _didn't_ merit a judicious beating from one party to another.

"I didn't _say_ that," Kurenai said, pinching the bridge of her nose and praying for patience.

"It is a rare shinobi indeed who bluntly relays a message," Shino cut in, far more sagely than any twelve-year-old boy had a right to. "You have trained us to take the initiative to look deeper into what those around us truly mean, Sensei."

"Well, whatever." Kiba shrugged, then winced at the motion. Kurenai made a mental note to take him to the hospital before the preliminary. "It doesn't matter if it's one test or two or even five; we're still gonna wipe the floor with everybody in our way." Akamaru barked eagerly in agreement.

Shino adjusted his sunglasses as he nodded. "Indeed."

Sakura was still stuck sulking a little, pouting prettily. After returning to her house, she had taken to wearing make-up again; just a little, and only neutral, muted colors, but it had thrown her teammates for a loop. "I still don't think this is fair. I mean, we _tricked_ chuunin. Exhausted, desperate chuunin," she admitted fairly. "But still. _Chuunin._ Shouldn't we at least get…I don't know, some sort of free pass to the _actual_ Chuunin Exams?"

"You might," Kurenai mused. "But your participation in the Trials is still technically classified and unofficial."

"We got paid," Sakura protested, though it was weak. She knew when she was beaten, even if it sometimes took her a while to admit it.

"Getting paid for a service by the Hokage is not the same as being recorded as undertaking an official mission." Kurenai told them, and hoped that they would take the lesson to heart. Ninja lived in the shadows; they would have to be careful not to drown in that obscured world as they grew older, especially with their emerging specialization. Though it weighed heavily on her heart and her nerves, Kurenai foresaw quite a few unofficial missions in Team Eight's future.

Sakura's shoulders slumped. "Fine, fine. We'll take the preliminary. Even if it's stupid and we shouldn't _have_ to."

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**O**

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"I _still_ think this is stupid," Sakura grumbled under her breath a few days later, when they had gathered in the large clearing that they had been directed to. It seemed as though every genin in the village was there, ranging from their age to their parents' ages. It might have intimidated some people, seeing fully-fledged adults who had yet to pass the looming Exams, but Team Eight had a certain measure of somewhat justified arrogance when it came to their abilities.

They were far from ANBU level, but they were the team that had been singled out by the Hokage himself for an unofficial mission. They definitely had potential, and the ambition and dedication necessary to bring that ambition to full fruition in the future.

"It is," Kiba agreed, hands shoved in his pockets. "But there's nothing we can do except get it over with and move on to the really important parts."

"A surprisingly astute assessment," Shino noted quietly, falling back on short sentence and stilted tones in the face of the overwhelming number of potential enemies around them.

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day," Sakura shrugged looking around for any familiar faces and ignoring the usual sneers and stares her hair received. Some of the older genin looked a little pale and seemed to be preparing to avoid her at all costs, so she supposed they must be somewhat familiar with her father. She had seen Hinata earlier and waved, but had opted to keep moving rather than put up with Naruto. She thought she had glimpsed a long blonde ponytail at some point, but Team Ten had been avoiding Team Eight since the training exercise.

It put a bit of a damper on Sakura's plans to mend bridges with Ino, but she couldn't exactly blame them.

"Attention!" A voice barked loudly, accompanied by a liberal dose of killing intent. As one, the entire coalition of genin turned their eyes to the platform in the center of the clearing, where three jounin were now standing. "You will split up now," the one who had called out, a tall, imposing man in a dark coat, continued. "One person per team to each of us. Hurry up."

Sakura shared a look with her teammates, before they silently broke up. Kiba, unsurprisingly enough, went straight for the voluptuous woman in the trench coat. Shino's betrayal was a bit more unexpected, as he claimed their slot with the pale, sickly-looking man and left her with the speaker. Her vengeance, she silently swore, would be ruthless, unexpected, and possibly planned by Eichi. From what she could gather from the few correspondences they had shared, the foreign boy seemed fairly certain that taking or assisting in avenging a wronged individual was a thoughtful, friendly gesture.

She really did have to wonder what exactly happened to him over in Kumo, but she doubted she would get more than a blunt 'It's classified,' if she asked.

As thoughts of retribution twisted nastily through her head, she sauntered daintily over to Black Coat, offering a pretty smile as the rest of the genin milled about. Black Coat raised an eyebrow, lifted his eyes to her hair, then shook his head and looked as though he was suppressing a tired sigh.

He probably knew her father too.

"Follow me," he instructed brusquely, once all the teams had been divvied up, before setting off at a brisk pace. The section of chuunin-hopefuls fell into step fairly easily, but with a lack of even the most nervous of chatter. Their standard allies were gone, and they were surrounded by rivals from all angles. It was hardly the time to try and make new friends.

Eventually, they were led to a nondescript tent, and let in one by one. As the line moved, Sakura caught sight of Hinata again, and Chouji as well. It was hardly the time or place to call out, however, so she kept silent and soon enough was ushered into the tent herself. A bored-looking chuunin had a thick pamphlet in front of him, and a large box by his side. "Name and team number?"

"Haruno Sakura, Team Eight, under Yuuhi Kurenai," Sakura recited. The chuunin flicked rapidly through his pamphlet, then reached down and carefully pulled out what appeared to be either an incredibly thick and ugly bangle or a manacle.

"Extend your arm," he droned, then snapped the manacle around her left wrist when she complied and ushered her out the other side of the tent. Sakura made her way over to where Hinata and another Hyuuga were standing, content to stay silent even as the older boy eyed her suspiciously.

Once the last of them had been clapped in the foreboding accessory, they were rounded up and led to yet another area, converging with the other two groups. Sakura couldn't see her teammates, but a quick glance revealed that every genin present had at least one manacle on, and those who had followed the busty trench coat lady had two. That, and the fact that they were in front of a field generally used for landmine testing was not forming a promising picture in Sakura's head.

Black Coat spoke up again, easily projecting his voice. "Somewhere in this field, there's a specialized key that will unlock your bonds. Once you and your teammates have managed that, bring your unlocked manacles and the key to the original meeting place and you'll have a chance to enroll in the Exams. There will be proctors stationed within the field to keep you from leaving without the key. Now enter. When we give the signal, the Preliminary Round will begin."

Sakura dashed in with the rest of the crowd, but shifted off to the side instead of racing further into the larger enclosure. She wasn't about to assume that all the traps had been deactivated. She instead started scanning the blurred, racing flood of people for her boys.

It was ultimately unnecessary on her part. A loud bang split the air, followed by a pulse of chakra. It marked the beginning of the Preliminary, yes, but more importantly it triggered a special function in the manacles, and chaos erupted all over the large field. Sakura found herself being dragged bodily by her left arm across the field. Whatever unseen force was directing her didn't seem concerned with anything other than the shortest path possible, so Sakura found herself slammed into several similarly led genin before she was finally sent hurtling into her teammates.

Her head slammed painfulliy into Shino's shoulder, and she felt her manacle slam against the one on Kiba's right arm and stick, as if they had been melded together.

Sakura shook her head and straightened, thankful that her glasses hid most of the dazedness in her expression. "Well," she said in a voice that was far steadier than she felt. "This is cozy."

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__2,137_

_**Total Word Count: **__51,670_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 45,000_

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_I DID IT. I broke 50,000 words in one month._

_I am not ashamed to say that I spent a few minutes victory dancing around my dorm room. I don't even care that I tripped over my chair. This is a historic moment for me, and I'm going to savor it. I was pretty euphoric, so I ended up building a **Haruno Clan Family Tree** for you guys as a celebratory bonus. I't part of why this update is late..._

_Thanks to deathgeonous, Yoru Hana1, romantiscue, Zlatka, Alyn the Miracle, Wandering the Arid Sea, Guest(#1), Guest(#2), oddman5, Netag Silverstar, minniemousemom, Anonymous, eirame, The Keeper of Worlds, ABCMECBA, Twisted Musalih, Andelevion, Essex, TheSecondOtherGuy, BiblioMatsuri, MoonShadow396, Guest(#3), Guest(#4), DangoDaikazaku, and everybody who has reviewed up to this point, even if I've already thanked you. __**Especially**__ if I've already thanked you. I couldn't have made it this far without all the astounding, amazing support you've given me._

_Three more days, ladies and gentlemen. I'll do my best to leave you satisfied._


	28. Chapter 28: Excel

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 28: **_Excel_

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"You offered up our dominant hand?" Sakura stared at Shino, aghast. "What made you think that was ever a good idea?"

"I believed it likely that they would be attaching some sort of handicap," Shino explained. "And, as this is a team-based competition, I surmised that one or both of you would receive a similar handicap. I was correct in my assumption that neither of you would allow your dominant hands to be shackled; I was confident that my colony could make up for whatever mobility I lost, in favor of increasing our probably efficiency."

"We're lucky you're mind is such a twisted, terrible place," Kiba said, glancing around at the odd angles other teams were now linked up in. one or sometimes both of the genin with only one manacle ended up facing opposite from the genin with two in the middle. Thanks to Shino's thoughtfulness, they were stuck in a straight, untwisted chain.

"Do we have any thoughts on our key?" Sakura murmured, glancing around covertly as the other teams struggled to get their bearings. "Kiba?"

He shook his head, scrunching up his nose. "Nah. All these cuffs are made from the same kind of metal. I wouldn't be able to single ours out."

"It's never easy," Sakura sighed as they carefully stood up once more. "Shino, you seem to be on the ball today. Anything catch…your…" Her voice slowly petered out, and she leveled a disbelieving stare at the cluster of trees at the center of the training field. Hanging merrily from the branches, flashing innocently in the sun, were hundreds of small, flat pieces of metal. "Oh, that's just mean," she breathed.

Kiba rubbed at his temples, dragging his teammate's hands along for the ride. "Urgh…that humming isn't helping things either," He grumbled.

"What humming?" Sakura asked, before a team made a break for the trees and slammed into a previously unseen chakra force field surrounding the area. The energy lazily pulsed out, briefly outlining the entire dome before fading back out of sight. "…oh. That humming."

"Shino?" Kiba asked, but the other boy was already frowning behind his hood.

"…we need to get a closer look." He decided, and his teammates nodded accordingly. They were used to running in step, and the traditional, aerodynamic running posture of a shinobi made it easier for them to cover ground without being tripped up by the different tempos they pumped their arms at. They slid to a spot just a few feet away from the treeline, and were quickly joined b many other teams.

Sakura leaned in as close as she dared, and felt rather than saw the boys follow suit. She scanned the view in front of her as explicitly as she could manage, storing and sucking in every detail she possibly could before the crowd of genin grew larger and pushier. When she felt her feet actually slide a centimeter or so in the dirt, she subtly tugged at Kiba's arm and he passed it on to Shino. Carefully, they managed to squeeze back through the knotted throng, and used their jostling as a way to get carried out back towards the edges.

Once they had room to breath, they shifted off to a more isolated area, still on the lookout for any traps that might have been left armed. Then they crouched down, and shared their results.

"Well, they _look_ like keys…" Kiba began unsurely.

"Which means they're probably fakes." Sakura continued.

Shino nodded. "Yes. They are quite ostentatiously protected, which would make them a very clever and time consuming decoy." He paused. "Furthermore, upon closer inspection, there aren't keyholes."

"_What."_ Sakura and Kiba said flatly in perfect, disbelieving harmony. But when they lifted their linked arms, they found that Shino was absolutely right; there was no hole whatsoever in either cuff.

"…I kind of saw some sort of design carved into the things on the trees," Sakura mused, furrowing her brow in thought. "Maybe it's a seal-based key? Or…" She went rigid, and the color abruptly drained from her face. Waving off her teammates' concern, she quickly dug around in her weapons pouch and withdrew an explosive tag, which she brought close to her face and examined painstakingly. "…I don't know much about seals," Sakura said slowly. "But I'm pretty sure I saw at least part of this array on one of those metal pieces."

"Well," Shino said with a dash of his shockingly rare grim humor. "We know where the mines are now, at least.

Kiba was almost too sidetracked by the fact that Shino had cracked a joke, but quickly rallied once more. "Wait, so if the explosives are being stored in that big dome, and there aren't any keyholes, then…how do we find the real keys? Are there even keys?"

"There have to be keys," Sakura insisted, frowning as she began wracking her brain for anything she might have forgotten in the heat of the moment. "Because we aren't permitted to leave this field without one. But 'key' is such a subjective phrase…like, it could still be seal-based, or ch—" She stopped abruptly, and looked down at the metal trapping them. A brush of her fingers revealed that they were warm to the touch, which _could_ be explained by their body heat, but _something_ was holding them together.

_"Somewhere in this field, there's a specialized key that will unlock your bonds."_ Black Coat had said._ "Once you and your teammates have managed that, bring your unlocked manacles and the key to the original meeting place and you'll have a chance to enroll in the Exams. There will be proctors stationed within the field to keep you from leaving without the key."_

A thought occurred to Sakura, and her mouth dropped open slightly at the sheer, convoluted _meanness_ of it. "Shino, Kiba," she said faintly. "He never mentioned a time limit, did he?"

"No," Shino said slowly, realizing the issue. "Which is surprising. With effort, even the slowest of teams would eventually be able to track down what they need to proceed."

"But we can't all move ahead," Sakura went on.

"So…there has to be a limited number of keys!" Kiba followed up, tensing a little. "We'd better double-time it the—…why are you smiling, Sakura? That's a scary smile. I mean, it usually works out well for _us,_ but it's still kind of terrifying seeing it this close."

"Shino, your colony should be able to figure it out. What's keeping us stuck together?" Sakura was practically beaming now.

Shino followed her suggestion and visibly started. "…chakra." He said. "Possibly a highly modified variation of the contact manipulation we learned with walls and water. I don't think we can safely disrupt it, however."

"Silly Shino," Sakura sighed, still smiling in that scary, elated way. "That's why we need a _key_. I'm pretty sure these are legitimate interrogation tools. Like the chakra-draining chains we know about." She felt both of them stiffen up at the reminder, but barreled on merrily. "Now, would legitimate interrogators carry around nifty little keys that prisoners could use to escape?"

"…No?" Kiba ventured, when they belatedly realized she was waiting for an answer.

"No," Sakura agreed, practically purring with triumph. "No, they wouldn't. If the cuffs were chakra or jutsu-based, then _they wouldn't have to. _They would just need to know the right cancellation seals. Now tell me boys," She glanced around. "If you had to estimate, how many proctors would you say are in here with us?"

"…somewhere between fifteen and twenty," Shino said. "Strange. You would think they would at least have one proctor for every team participating, so that they could properly keep track of them and ensure that no one slips out without a proper key, instead of a 'counterfeit'."

"You would, wouldn't you?" She grinned and started tugging them towards a copse of trees near the edge of the landing where she was fairly certain a proctor was stationed. "Excuse me, sir?" She called up, quiet and polite as can be. Her sunglasses covered up the vicious light of triumph glittering in her eyes, but her teammates could sense it. "Could you please come down here for a moment?"

The proctor slipped down, eying them speculatively. He was a decently attractive brunette with messy hair, a goatee, and a strip of bandage wound over the bridge of his nose. "I can't give you kids any hints," he warned them, apparently misreading the sweetness of Sakura's countenance as the beginnings of an attempt to sucker information out of him.

"Oh no, we don't need anything like _that_," Sakura assured him earnestly, before reaching out and placing a hand on his wrist. Her smile was tooth-rottenly saccharine. "We've just come to properly claim you, Key-san."

For a moment—just one long, horrible moment—when the proctor stared down at them in honest bewilderment, Sakura thought she might have gotten things wrong after all. But then he shook his head and ran a hand through his hair incredulously. "…It's been less than twenty minutes," he said, clearly astounded. "This is ridiculous. Morino-senpai is going to have an aneurism." He looked at them shook his head again, and began walking up the nearby fence. "Well, come on, then."

Sakura stood her ground, and the boys weren't about to go against her _now_. "That's not how it works, Key-san," she admonished, wagging her finger at him. "We're not allowed to leave until the cuffs come off. Shame on you for trying to trick us!"

The proctor outright laughed this time and leapt down. "Ah well, orders are orders." He quickly flashed through a set of hand-seal and pressed his fingers to the manacles, which released one another and then snapped open. "I guess the rumors about Last Laugh Kizashi's kid are true."

Sakura rolled her eyes as they all went up the fence this time, covered from the view of the other participants by a light genjutsu the proctor threw up. "I really, really want to hit whoever came up with that title," she complained. "Like, seriously. Couldn't they have chosen one that _didn't_ make Dad feel like he's allowed and even expected to crack horrible jokes at every opportunity?"

"The only ones who get the really cool titles are either insane or Mist braggarts," the proctor told them while they strolled along. "But aside from those, they're usually embarrassingly accurate."

"Does your Dad look funny or something?" Kiba wondered.

"Pink hair, remember?" Sakura tugged her own locks pointedly, before smiling in a darkly satisfied manner. "Dad always said they only ever make the mistake of laughing about it to your face once."

"Did a team give up already?" The voluptuous trench-coated woman asked as they dropped down in the field. She was visibly taken aback when she realized that the three of them were unbound and in high-spirits. "You're shitting me. It's been like thirty minutes."

"We're used to thinking about how we can trip other people up," Sakura said modestly. "So it's a little easier for us to root out really mean tricks."

"_Ohhh,_" Trench Coat grinned knowingly, a slightly vicious light coming over her face. "I get it. You're _Yuuhi's_ brats, ain'tcha?" She picked up three sheafs of paper and tossed them to the genin. "Heh. Word on the street is this whole overhaul is thanks to your hard work."

"We really couldn't say," Sakura demurred, safely stowing away her registration papers. Which was true; it was unofficial and classified.

All technically above-board, and all that.

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,922_

_**Total Word Count: **__53,592_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 46,667_

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_Woo! Day 28… It almost doesn't feel real._

_Thanks to BiblioMatsuri (I've never outright said it, but thank you for making a note of my typos when you see them. It will help a bunch once I find the will to finally edit this monster of a roughdraft), Six Ribbons, Haze Be It, Netag Silverstar (don't worry, I won't, and thank you for your faithful reviewing this past month), The Tainted Queen, Wandering the Arid Sea, TheSecondOtherGuy (I fully plan to!), Yoru Hana1, LadyDream3512 (there are definitely plans for that), ForeverRead, Andelevion, Caellach Tiger Eye (the amount of thought and effort you put into that review literally made me tear up. Thank you so much), Zlatka, Alyn the Miracle, eirame, minniemousemom, Anonymous, ABCMECBA, juniperlei, The Keeper of Worlds, MoonShadow396, romantiscue, Inverness, Aura Rose Dragomir, SilverIcy, Chandagnac, sarah, UNSecur (yes, that is something that will be redone once I edit. I wrote all of these chapters one per day without any editing whatsoever, so they're rushed, not the most well-thought out, and so on), Silver Queen, and Bondubras of Devoncroix for the reviews!_

_If you check out my profile, you'll find some new visual aides! I've got the __**Haruno Clan Family Tree **__up, as well as rudimentary, doll-maker designed __**Character Appearances.**_


	29. Chapter 29: Involved

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 29: **_Involved_

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"Wait," Kurenai said slowly later on, during the celebratory dinner she was treating her team to. "Wait a minute, if you three finished _within the first half hour_ then why didn't you come find me then, instead of four hours later?"

The sizzling of meat on the grill was her only answer as her students exchanged (she assumed) slightly guilty glances behind their dark glasses.

"…you didn't." Kurenai passed a hand over her eyes, full of despair and incredulous laughter that she couldn't let out if she wanted to retain even just the possibility of properly disciplining the three of them. "Please, tell me you _didn't._"

"They told us we could do _whatever_ we wanted after we were done!" Kiba protested, his teammates nodding along. "So…well, they wanted to weed out the super awesome teams, right? And we eat lame squads for breakfast!"

"Mitarashi-san gave us permission." Sakura insisted, and Kuenai counted herself lucky that the girl's large sunglasses canceled the full effect of her innocent, earnest expression. Even though the attempt to shift the blame was transparent at best, Kurenai found herself resolving to have a long, long talk with Anko the next time she had the opportunity.

"You sabotaged your own village," Kurenai said, just to get the damning words out in the air.

"Well actually," Sakura frowned. "They were technically enemies at the time! And, if you think about it, we were serving the village's best interests, you know?"

"Unsuitable teams should not be permitted to advance and shame the name of Konohagakure," Shino agreed gravely.

Kurenai stared at them for a long moment, before shaking her head and taking the first piece of grilled meat. "I am trying so hard," she assured them. "So _very_ hard to remember if you three were always like this or if I somehow facilitated this attitude." She let out a low, tired sigh. "…do I really want to know the details?"

"We were as awesome as we ever are," Kiba told her eagerly, snatching up his own share of the meat. He tried to poach some of Shino's share, but was quickly thwarted by his teammates. "But for like the first hour we didn't really do much. We just sort of sat on the wall and watched everybody try to break into the explosives cache."

"None actually succeeded, in the end," Shino remarked, with a touch of regret. "Ultimately, however, others did begin to come to the same conclusion as we did."

"The Hyuugas cheated," Kiba insisted around a mouth full of beef.

"They didn't _cheat_," Sakura frowned, dipping her own slice in sauce. "If you have a doujutsu, it's totally understandable to use it when you know it can help. They must have seen where we were headed, because at different times they came looking when they realized our team wasn't in the field anymore. Well…Hinata did, at least. I don't think that other guy had the time or energy to memorize the chakra signatures of every single team. So Team Seven kind of has us to thank, but they had Naruto and he was basically dive-bombing the chakra-field with hundreds of really weird clones. So we figured it evened out in the end."

"We got to pretend to be chuunin, about halfway through the second half," Kiba reminisced. "That was pretty cool. We led people up the wall and got them disqualified. It was great."

"Well," Kurenai said dryly. "Just so long as you _enjoyed_ actively crushing the hopes of your fellow genin."

"I for one found it quite therapeutic," Shino admitted, before biting into a chunk of vegetable.

"You do realize that you just ensured that you would have stronger competition, right?" Kurenai wanted to know. "You have to know that."

"Easy pickings," Sakura told their instructor sagely. "Are no fun. And besides, it isn't the other Leaf-nin we'll be focusing on; not with all those shiny, unsuspecting new foreigners to take out."

Kurenai laughed and sipped at her tea, finally deciding to let her pride eclipse her exasperation for a moment. "We are so lucky you three are so patriotic," she murmured.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I asked if, towards the end, things ended up very chaotic."

"Oooh…Oh yeah, big time. Once all the proctors had been claimed, they made this announcement…"

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_Honored Sofu-sama,_

_Thank you for your kind words. I apologize for the lack of timely communication on my part. It was wrong of me to drag my feet, but I wanted to be absolutely sure before I shared the news: my squad and I will be participating in the upcoming Chuunin Exams held by our village. From what our instructor has told us, this time the competition is more varied than ever before, participant-wise. She has expressed that she is confident, however, that we will be able to handle ourselves appropriate and impressively._

_I am glad that my previous letter was able to alleviate your worries. If there is anything else in particular that you wish to know about doujutsu, I now possess quite the wealth of knowledge on the subject, and have easy access to an expert in the field. In response to your offer, I must humbly decline. As grateful as I would be for an official apology from Yutaka-ojisama, one forced from his mouth would sap a great deal of satisfaction from the event. I would much rather go about reconciling, or at least founding a truce in my own time. I cannot thank you enough, however, for your thoughtful and reassuring response, Sofu-sama._

_It may sound a bit presumptuous or over-confident, but I believe that my team and I have an excellent chance for promotion. If you will excuse an undeniably selfish request, I would ask you to do me the honor of attending the tournament portion of the Exams. I know that you are a very busy man, which is why I tried to send my request at the earliest possible opportunity. Even if, for some bizarre, unfathomable reason, my team does not make it to the tournament, it would still be wonderful to see you in the flesh again after all this time._

_If you could find time in your schedule, I would be eternally grateful, Sofu-sama._

_All my love,_

_Haruno Sakura_

The Lord of the Haruno Clan swept regally out of his office, passing by two maids who immediately dipped into deep, respectful bows. He paid them no mind, but as they straightened once more, the maids' eyes followed him down the hall. Once he had turned the corner, they broke into fascinated, hushed whispers.

"Hey, hey, Miki-chan," One of the maids tugged at her companion's sleeve insistently. "Am I going crazy or did Hideki-sama actually look…"

"Happy?" Miki finished for her friend, before nodding in amazement. "Yeah, he actually did! Though, after what I've heard, he has every right to be…"

"Oh?" The other maid perked up. "Do tell!"

"Well," Miki said. "From what I heard, after that scare from Yutaka-sama, Sakura-hime has kept in contact with Hideki-sama…"

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_Sakura-san,_

_I can assure with my full, experienced opinion that the Chuunin Examinations, based on those held in or close to Kumogakure, at least, are not overly challenging. The circumstances of my own promotion are classified, but I observed Shī-san's process and it seemed relatively straightforward, design-wise. I do not believe you have very much to fear before the part of the Exams where you are pitted against another shinobi. As I do not have a declassified and comprehensive list detailing the attendees for the event, I cannot advise you any further._

_I have been given permission to relay that Kumo will no be sending a delegation of genin to this exam, due to certain circumstances in the state at this time. So any chance of a true meeting must be postponed. I do thank you for the sentiment, however._

_The events and parameters of my life still have yet to show any dramatic change. As far as I can gauge, the sky is blue, the weather is mild, and the climate is comfortable, so I believe that it can and would be deemed 'nice'. At your suggestion, I obtained several samples of sweets. I found the bun with the sweet paste within it to be most satisfactory, and have since purchased a larger supply. _

_Shī-san and I are not at odds with one another, since you asked. We are on purely neutral terms. At your urging, I have begun making incrementally more 'friendly' overtures. After a classified event, I extended my 'heartfelt congratulations' to him. He seemed to be relatively confused by the response, so that, perhaps, had been too large of a step. It does not appear to have set my meager progress wit him, but I shall do my best to be more aware of my current limitations. Though he doubted my sincerity, he did thank me. So please do not feel that your advice has been fruitless._

_As a skill-set explanation would most definitely be classified, I cannot tell you with total certainty that you and your unit members will be the undisputed champions of the Examinations. However, I have deduced, through the course of our time together, that you are an intellectual individual, and your less exuberant teammate is much deeper than one person can easily fathom. _

_I am certain you will impress the pertinent individuals to an acceptable extent._

_Eichi_

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_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,568_

_**Total Word Count: **__55,160_

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 48,334_

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_Urgh. Sorry for the lateness of this chapter. I had a paper to write._

_Thanks to Anon, Wandering the Arid Sea, Zlatka, blacKStreek, Netag Silverstar, deathgeonous, Haze Be It, Guest(#1), Ka, LadyDream3512, Sayle, minniemousemom, Anonymous, Chihori-chan, anna012, MoonShadow396, Alyn the Miracle, The Keeper of Worlds, romantiscue, Kitiara Woodbane, SilverICy, OrionRedde, ABCMECBA, Chibified-chan, Guest(#2), MrEmperor, Wren Truesong, and Beloved Daughter for all the reviews!_

_One chapter left guys. Time to wrap it up._


	30. Chapter 30: Destiny

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the series _Naruto_ or any of the characters or concepts within it. I don't own Onimeno-sensei either; he's from another series entirely, and is merely twisted around to fit the premise of this story.

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The Eyes Have It

**Chapter 30:** _Destiny_

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Sakura kicked her legs back and forth idly, sliding her sunglasses back into place. "Look, it isn't that easy. I need more time to think it over."

Onimeno rolled his eyes and threw a pen at her. She was able to dodge it though, so he obviously wasn't as put out with her as it might have seemed. "Brat, this is not some intricate fuinjutsu exercise. Just pick a goddamn name already so I can register your eyes already, dammit!"

"I told you, it's hard!" Sakura, for the record, did _not_ whine anymore. She left that to Kiba, who, as an honorary semi-canine, cornered the market on whining, growling, snarling, biting and puppy-dog eyes on their squad. Sakura _protested_, at a reasonable and downright lyrical tone. "It's like…like naming a baby, or something. A baby who will need to be enigmatic and awe-inspiring and _amazing_, okay? I can't just…_pick_ something!"

"Sure you can," he scoffed. "You're being ridiculous."

"What did you name yours, then?" Sakura challenged, crossing her arms.

"The Oninome," he told her, without a hint of shame. "Didn't want to be lumped in with those high and mighty 'gan assholes and the rest."

"…" She gaped at him, before jabbing a finger at him accusingly. "No. No! That's…that's like _cheating!_ I can't believe you actually named it that!_"_

Onimeno grinned smugly, cracking his neck. "Oh? Check the registry if you really don't believe me."

Sakura shook her head in disgust. "Just for that, I think I'll take another few weeks to settle on a name."

He let out a noise of disgust and tossed his clipboard away. "Ugh. Get out of my examination room then, if you're not going to fix my paperwork problem. Your eyes should be fine for the exam, try not to show them off visibly until the finals, if you die I'll kick your ass, blah, blah, blah…"

Sakura smiled softly as she hopped out of her chair, darting forward to hug the brute of a man. He went stiff for a moment, as though she had wrapped barbed wire around his waist instead of a pair of slender arms he could probably tear through like wet rice paper if he wanted to. "I'll be just fine," she assured him. "We're going to _ruin_ everybody else."

Onimeno relaxed the tiniest bit, only to flick her hard in the forehead. "You better." He scowled. "I don't like investing my time into idiots who get themselves killed, Haruno." With that heartwarming sentiment, he shook her off in a less than rough sort of manner and set off down the corridor.

Sakura stood there for a long moment. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, and she all but skipped the rest of the way out, offering a cheery wave to the receptionist in the lobby as she passed.

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"I feel kind of weird," Sakura mused, before biting into her second piece of fruit tart.

Kiba chewed furiously, then swallowed thickly before speaking. He was learning. "Pregnant-weird, sick-weird, or impending-crisis-weird?"

Sakura scowled at him and kicked at him, though not hard enough to dislodge him from the roof. Dawn was creeping its way across the village, as thick and golden and sluggish as honey. "Why are those always your first guesses?"

"Prepare for the worst and hope for the best," Kiba told her sagely.

"You stole that from Kurenai-sensei," Shino said, before he stole the last piece of their tart.

"Doesn't make it any less true," the other boy insisted.

Sakura rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. "Well, no on all counts. It's…this is going to sound crazy, but have you ever felt like your exactly where you're supposed to be, but you took a totally different route to get there than you planned to?"

"…I'm pretty sure they call that 'life,'" Kiba said, before dodging her second kick with a laugh. "I'm serious! Look, what's more natural: crazy stuff happening, or every single thing going _exactly_ according to plan?"

"Okay," Sakura ceded as she settled back. "You might have a point there."

"Is it a bad sort of weird?" Kiba asked, frowning as he discovered that the tin holding their shared breakfast was empty. "Like, do you have regrets or something?"

"No…" She stood and stretched, glancing back at the two of them as they followed suit. She smiled a little, mostly to herself. "No, I don't think I do. Come on; let's go grab some bandages from the supply place. Nakamura-san should be starting his shift, and he might have some freebies for Exam participants."

"Have we discovered any early targets?" Shino asked amiably as they skipped across the upper levels of the slowly stirring village.

"Oh yeah," Kiba's grin was all teeth. "There was a set of total clowns from Rain my sister had to escort to their quarters yesterday. Said she could practically smell 'genjutsu specialty' on them." Which, considering just who their instructor was, made the Rain team easy pickings if they didn't have something else up their sleeves.

"I found a team to _avoid_," Sakura added helpfully. "I passed by a squad from Sand yesterday; they were pretty creepy. Kept walking a bit and I found Hinata-chan trying to unruffled her teammates' feathers. I mean, Naruto can be hotheaded when it comes to pigeons, so that's nothing new, but Sasuke-kun actually looked…" Sakura wracked her brain for the right way to explain. "Tense. Focused. Like, the way he was after his Visit. _That_ tense and focused."

Kiba let out a low, impressed whistle as they touched down in front of the shop. Though Visits were generally kept confidential, _everybody_ in their class, even Naruto, had figured out when Sasuke had his Visit. For weeks afterwards he had been as tightly wound as a spring barely two seconds from snapping and had thrown himself into training like a boy possessed.

"We will proceed with all due caution, then," Shino said, selecting a few rolls of bandages to suit their needs.

"Always good to hear," Nakamura commented cheerfully, ringing up their normal purchases and slipping in a pack of smoke bombs and a sheaf of explosive tags with a discrete wink. They chatted with the kindly man for a time, accepting his last minute advice and well wishes with gratitude and respect. One did not offend the hand that passed a weapon into one's own, after all.

When they finally left the shop, the sun had fully broken past the horizon and people had begun to mill about. They would need to go to the Academy soon, but there was still one last tradition that had to be fulfilled.

They found an out of the way alley in a respectable but still deserted stretch of the village and faced one another in a loose triangle. Sakura took a deep breath, and started.

"No one is allowed to die."

"No one is allowed to get maimed." Kiba followed.

"No one is allowed to play the hero for the sake of the other two." Shino finished.

Now came the truly embarrassing part, and the reason for the need for privacy. The three of them linked their pinkies into a knot and shook on it to seal the deal, before hurriedly dropping their hands and strolling out of the alley, blank-faced and unruffled.

They were ready.

"Okay," Sakura sighed and adjusted her sunglasses. "Let's go wreck the competition."

Two pairs of shades glinted in terrible and resolute agreement. They would be just fine, but as for everybody else…

Well.

That was the _fun_ part, wasn't it?

* * *

**End.**

* * *

_**Chapter Word Count: **__1,260_

_**Total Word Count: **_56,420

_**Targeted Word Count:**__ 50,000_

* * *

_Well, folks, that's all she wrote._

_Yes, this is abut two weeks late, and I'm very sorry if I worried any of you; there are two reasons for the delay, namely the fact that I had to play nursemaid to a series of friends who made poor life decisions or have the misfortune to have very poor immune systems, and then I faced my first ever set of College Finals._

_I enforced a self-imposed exile from all forms of fanfiction, YouTube, Tumblr, and so on so I could study up. This chapter has been sitting half-finished for two weeks, since my idiot-friend first texted me her plea for help, and my last final was today. I'm exhausted, and I need to clean my dorm, but I didn't want to leave you all hanging any longer._

_I have to say, I'm really blown away by just how much attention this story ended up receiving. As I type this, looking at the stats, _TEHI_ has a gob-smacking total of __**652**__ reviews, __**325**__ Favorites, __**371**__ Followers, __**85,304**__ Views and has been added to __**17**__ different Communities._

_I never even dreamed it could be this popular._

_So thank you, everybody who has read, reviewed, recommended and supported me for the duration of this story. I can't possibly articulate just how happy you've made me, and I hope I've managed to keep you all entertained in the meantime._

_For the last time, I'd like to thank Haze Be It, Netag Silverstar, Anonymous, minniemousemom, Arkeus, anna012, Guest(#1), InARealPickle, MoonShadow396, The Keeper of Worlds, Wandering the Arid Sea, Andelevion, Guest(#2), Vesper, Toreh, romantiscue, Sinister Blossom, Ka, Vulpex, Beloved Daughter, Bondubras of Devoncroix, FlawlessCowboy2552, Higanbana, kakura sagami, Shockinblue, SilverIcy, sarah, LadyDream3512, Alyn the Miracle, Wren Truesong, wintersalad, blacKStreek, deathgeonous, juniperlei, FashionablyHospitable, oddman5, Cheshirette, psuedotothenym, HarmonyRose, mir, Guest(#3), Otakugal, Lunaaklipce143, Guest(#4), Caellach Tiger Eye, Loiosh311, OREI, 555, Guest(#5), Tourmaline82, angrypixels, Wandering Crimson Sage, phoebe turner, BiblioMatsuri, Guile, Copycat, Guest(#6), BakaFireKitsuneSama, Asarin159, Namino Ikumagi, Aista, PsyckoSama, KasonSama, Soraye, vantweet, brjosk, and everybody who has reviewed up until today._

_It's been a pleasure, ladies and gentlemen._

_Now, since I've gotten this question __a lot__, let me say this for the record: __**there WILL be a side story/one-shot collection for this series. And at some point there will be a sequel, but that lies in the far off future.**__ But for now, this is it._

_Happy holidays, everybody!_


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